“If I have Glaucoma, will I go Blind?” This is the second question on our newest blog mini-series, Glaucoma Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
Board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles specializes in the treatment of glaucoma and cataracts. As Medical Director of the Anne Arundel Eye Center, Dr. Boles as helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision. He is also passionate about educating patients and their families about the various eye diseases they may be afflicted with.
“If I have Glaucoma, will I go Blind?”
Fortunately nowadays, it is rare for a glaucoma patient to go blind. While total blindness is always a possibility with glaucoma, it is fairly rare, with just 120,000 cases of blindness in the United States compared to 2.3 million cases of glaucoma. That’s just 5%.
Treatment successfully preserves vision 95% of the time or more, especially if caught early.
The key to successful treatment and minimizing the rish of vision loss is early detection. This is why regular eye exams are so important, especially when you consider that glaucoma presents with no initial symptoms. In fact, an individual can lose as much as 40% of their vision before even noticing. Scary, huh? This is also why glaucoma has been nicknamed “the sneak thief of sight.”
Regular eye exams can prove invaluable in identifying problems before they cause irreversible damage. Without early detection and treatment, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss and even blindness. In fact, glaucoma is the second-leading cause of vision loss in the United States behind only cataracts.
Regularly scheduled eye exams – regardless of your age or physical fitness – are an important part of your overall health, not just your vision. Your eye doctor will not only evaluate your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses, but he/she will also inspect your eyes for common eye diseases and other problems that could lead to vision loss, such as glaucoma.
If you have any questions about Glaucoma, or wish to schedule an appointment with Anne Arundel Eye Center, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, Dr. Corinne Casey, and the eye care specialists here at AAEC by calling 410-224-2010 or visiting AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube as well!
For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.
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