National Glaucoma Awareness Month

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month: When was your last Eye Exam?

January 11, 2013 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a disease of the eye characterized by elevated pressure inside the eye and sometimes other factors that cause the fibers running through the optic nerve to slowly deteriorate. The optic nerve is the part of the eye that carries the images we see to the brain.

Without treatment, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss.

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

Want to hear a scary statistic? More than 60 million people suffer from glaucoma, but nearly half of them are completely unaware they have the eye disease. This is because glaucoma displays no symptoms and, at first, only affects peripheral or side vision. As a result, an individual can lose as much as 40% of their vision before even noticing. So when was the last time you had a comprehensive eye exam?

Early detection of Glaucoma means earlier, simpler and more effective treatment!

Once a person begins to lose their vision, the damage is irreversible. This is why eye exams are so important. Early detection and treatment are your best options to slow or even prevent further vision loss brought on by glaucoma. Without treatment, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss.

Another scary statistic: glaucoma is the second leading cause of vision loss in the United States behind only cataracts.

So once again, when was your last comprehensive eye exam? Call to make an appointment with your eye doctor to receive a thorough screening for ocular diseases, such as glaucoma!

Risk Factors for Glaucoma

You are of African, Asian, and Hispanic descent
You are over the age of 60
You have a family member who has already been diagnosed
You are diabetic
You are severely nearsighted (myopic)

While everyone should have their eyes examined regularly, those with the above risk factors should increase the frequencies of those examinations.

To learn more about Glaucoma Awareness Month, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, consultative optometrists Dr. Nathan Frank and Dr. Corinne Casey, and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com. Staffed by caring and knowledgeable professionals, our state-of-the-art treatment center is dedicated to making the best eye care accessible to everyone.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube as well!

What is a Glaucoma Suspect?

February 10, 2012 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

The term glaucoma suspect describes a person who does not currently have glaucoma, but one who might be at risk of developing glaucoma. The risk factors of glaucoma include:

• Elevated Eye Pressure (IntraOcular Pressure – IOP)

• Suspicious Optic Nerve Cupping

“It’s like all of the players are on the field, but the game has not started,” explained April Pevear, a Patient Care Specialist at Anne Arundel Eye Center. A glaucoma suspect has all of the signs of glaucoma without actually having definite glaucomatous optic nerve damage or a visual field defect. However, a great overlap can exist between findings in people with early glaucoma and in those who are merely glaucoma suspects. This is why regular eye exams are so important, whether or not you need glasses.

Early detection equals earlier, simpler and more effective treatment.

Glaucoma Suspect Monitoring and Treatment

Sometimes treatment is not even necessary. In many cases, regular eye exams and vigilant monitoring are the best ways to handle glaucoma suspects. However, if treatment is deemed necessary, the best way to treat a glaucoma suspect is to lower the elevated IOP. This is typically done with eye drops and should help reduce the risk of developing glaucoma. These drops work by either slowing the production of aqueous fluids in the eye or by improving the flow of fluid out of the eye through the drainage angle and into the veins.

Another excellent treatment option would be laser treatment. There are several laser options currently available to treat many of the different types of glaucoma. Laser surgery utilizes a focused, gentle beam of light to help the fluid drain from your eye and decrease IOP. This type of outpatient procedure can be done right at your doctor’s office with minimal recovery time. However, it must be noted that laser surgery WILL NOT change your vision. It WILL slow and potentially stop glaucoma progression.

Even after treatment, regular check-ups with your eye-care practitioner – ophthalmologist or optometrist – will be needed to monitor your situation and help prevent any future vision loss.

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of legal blindness in the United States, behind only cataracts.

• Over 60 million people worldwide (2.2 million Americans) have glaucoma and experts estimate that nearly half of them are unaware they are currently affected by the disease.

• Up to 10 million Americans are estimated to suffer from elevated IOP, making them glaucoma suspects. And about 1% of these individuals will develop glaucomatous damage.

• Currently, between 80,000-116,000 people have been declared legally blind because of glaucoma.

If you have any questions about what you have just read or if you would like to learn more about Glaucoma Treatment in Maryland, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, consultative optometrist Dr. Nathan Frank, and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today!

Cast your vote now for Anne Arundel Eye Center, Dr. Boles and Dr. Frank in Chesapeake Family Magazine’s Favorite Docs 2012! Voting ends on March 15th.

Dr. Boles and everyone else at the Anne Arundel Eye Center proudly support the efforts of The Polakoff Foundation and their role in the ongoing fight against glaucoma. Click here to purchase tickets online for the Polakoff Foundation’s Mardi Gras Celebration to help raise money to aid the fight against blindness.

Located in Annapolis, Maryland, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers comprehensive specialized ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre and post-surgical eye care. Specializing in glaucoma and cataracts, Dr. Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision.

Glaucoma and Cataracts may be a natural part of aging. Losing your vision doesn’t have to be.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter,Google+, and YouTube as well!

Sources:

Adult Glaucoma Suspect

Glaucoma Suspect & Ocular Hypertension

Glaucoma: An Overview from Dr. Nathan Frank

January 30, 2012 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

According to a survey conducted in 2002 by Prevent Blindness America, 30 percent of Americans have never heard of
glaucoma and only half of those participating in the survey actually knew what it was. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, and specialists believe that roughly 2.2 million people in America are affected. Only half of these individuals know that they have the disease. Given that January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, this is a great time to review the condition so that you, as patients, can become better informed and more knowledgeable.

Glaucoma is a multi-factorial disease that causes damage to the optic nerve that eventually leads to vision loss. Peripheral (side) vision loss occurs due to damage of the optic nerve of eye, which is similar to a fiber optics cable with about 1.2 million fibers that send images from the eye to the brain. There are two main types of glaucoma: primary open angle glaucoma and angle closure glaucoma. Both are usually marked by increased eye pressure inside the eye, but differ in the anatomical structure of the drainage system of the eye.

Risk factors for glaucoma? Everyone is at risk for glaucoma, newborn babies and senior citizens alike. However, there are several groups of people with an increased risk of developing the disease. Risk is heightened by:

Race (African Americans, Asians and Hispanics)
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Steroid Use
Age (People over 60)
History of eye trauma
Family History of glaucoma
High near-sighted patients

What are the common symptoms of glaucoma? The majority of people that have glaucoma are without symptoms. The visual symptoms that do occur tend to occur later in the disease process.

How to diagnose glaucoma? A comprehensive eye evaluation is imperative to rule out any suspicion for glaucoma. There are several important factors that need to be assessed prior to making a diagnosis. These include: measurement of eye pressure (normal range 12-22), a close assessment of the optic nerve, a peripheral visual field measurement, an exam of the drainage system of the eye, and finally a measurement of the cornea of the eye. These measurements are repeated once or twice a year or more often if there is any concern about progression.

How is glaucoma treated? The best way to protect your vision if diagnosed with glaucoma is to continue care
with your eye care provider. The goal of treatment is to lower the intraocular pressure to prevent further damage to the optic nerve. When diagnosed with glaucoma, the first line of treatment usually starts with the use of a single eye drop that is instilled once a night. If further pressure lowering is needed, additional drops can be used. Further treatment options include laser therapy or, if necessary, surgical treatment.

Glaucoma is a very complicated disease and this is only a brief overview. Some questions may still remain; a great
resource for information is glaucoma.org, a website that is constantly updated with information for those with glaucoma and for those who may know others with glaucoma.

If you have any further questions and would like to learn more about Glaucoma Detection and Treatment, please Dr. Frank and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today!

Cast your vote now for Anne Arundel Eye Center, Dr. Samuel Boles and Dr. Frank in Chesapeake Family Magazine’s Favorite Docs 2012! Voting ends on March 15th.

Glaucoma and Cataracts may be a natural part of aging. Losing your vision doesn’t have to be.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube as well!

National Glaucoma Awareness Month

January 24, 2012 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

Glaucoma refers to a group of eye conditions that lead to damage the optic nerve, usually resulting from a rise in intraocular pressure (IOP). The optic nerve carries visual information from the eye to the brain.

Over 60 million people worldwide (2.2 million Americans) have glaucoma and experts estimate that nearly half of them are unaware they are currently affected by the disease. This is probably because glaucoma displays no symptoms and, at first, only affects peripheral or side vision. As a result, an individual can lose as much as 40% of their vision before even noticing. This is also why glaucoma has been nicknamed “the sneak thief of sight.”

Once a person begins to lose their vision, the damage is irreversible. This is why regular eye exams are so important. While there is no cure for glaucoma, early detection and treatment are your best options to slow or even prevent further vision loss brought on by the disease. Without early detection and treatment, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss. In fact, glaucoma is the second-leading cause of vision loss in the United States behind only cataracts.

This is why January has been named National Glaucoma Awareness Month.

You are at an increased risk developing glaucoma if…

•You are of African, Asian, and Hispanic descent

• You are over the age of 60

•You have a family member who has already been diagnosed

• You are diabetic

•You are severely nearsighted (myopic)

While everyone should have their eyes examined regularly, those with the above risk factors should increase the frequencies of those examinations.

Early detection equals earlier, simpler and more effective treatment.

If you have any questions about what you have just read or if you would like to learn more about Glaucoma Detection and Treatment, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today!

Cast your vote now for Anne Arundel Eye Center, Dr. Boles and Dr. Frank in Chesapeake Family Magazine’s Favorite Docs 2012! Voting ends on March 15th.

Glaucoma and Cataracts may be a natural part of aging. Losing your vision doesn’t have to be.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter,Google+, and YouTube as well!

Sources:

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month