The month of January is observed as National Glaucoma Awareness Month- as glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the United States.
Currently, more than 3 million people in the U.S. have glaucoma. The National Eye Institute foresees this number to grow to 4.2 million by 2030, a 58 percent increase.
Glaucoma is often referred to as “the sneak thief of sight” since there are no symptoms and once vision is lost, it’s irreversible. As much as 4o-percent of vision can be lost without a person noticing. It is also the leading cause of preventable blindness.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 4.5 million people worldwide are blind due to glaucoma. In the U.S. alone, approximately 120,000 are blind from glaucoma, which comprises of nine-to-12-percent of all cases of blindness.
How can one prevent glaucoma?
It’s fairly simple. The best way for glaucoma prevention is to get a comprehensive eye examination. If you are then diagnosed with glaucoma, your treatment can begin fairly immediately.
The Wise Family Eye staff strongly encourages you to schedule your today.
