If you have been diagnosed as a glaucoma suspect, your doctor will monitor you for development of glaucoma changes through  visual field testing, digital optic nerve photos and/or nerve fiber analysis on an annual basis.  Annual monitoring is recommended to assess for development of more high risk findings such as elevated intraocular pressure, peripheral vision loss, increased optic nerve cupping or abnormal retinal nerve fiber layer changes. If you are a glaucoma suspect, these methods assist in the early detection of glaucoma and prevention of vision loss.

GLAUCOMA FACTS:

1. Glaucoma is a complicated disease in which damage to the optic nerve results in vision loss. There are typically no early warning signs or symptoms of open-angle glaucoma. It develops slowly and sometimes without noticeable sight loss for many years. 



2. Most people who have open-angle glaucoma feel fine and do not notice a change in their vision at first because the initial loss of vision is of side or peripheral vision, and the visual acuity or sharpness of vision is maintained until late in the disease. 



3. By the time a patient is aware of vision loss, the disease is usually quite advanced. Vision loss from glaucoma is NOT REVERSIBLE with treatment, even with surgery. 



3. Because open-angle glaucoma has few warning signs or symptoms before damage has occurred, six to twelve month monitoring is recommended (depending on a patient's risk factors, such as: race, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and family history.) 



4. If glaucoma is detected during an eye exam, preventative treatment to help protect vision will be implemented.

 

For more information on glaucoma, visit the American Academy of Ophthalmology website at : http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/diseases/glaucoma/