January is Glaucoma Awareness Month

Get a healthy start to the year by learning about glaucoma and reducing your risk for vision loss! Take steps towards protecting your eyes and the vision health of your loved ones. Know the facts, know the risks, and take action.

Don’t Let Glaucoma Steal Your Sight

Glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, is a group of diseases that damages the eye’s optic nerve. About 3 million Americans have glaucoma; however, since there are often no early symptoms, 50% of them don’t even know they have the disease.

High-risk groups for glaucoma include African Americans over age 40, everyone over age 60 (especially Hispanics/Latinos), people with a family history of glaucoma, and people who have diabetes. Whether or not you are in one of these groups, there are steps you can take to protect your eyes.

Get a comprehensive dilated eye exam to catch glaucoma early and start treatment if necessary.
Talk to your family members about their vision health to help protect your eyes—and theirs.
Maintain a healthy weight, control your blood pressure, and remain physically active.
Stop smoking, or never start.

However, some people with glaucoma live with vision impairment, resulting in difficulty doing routine activities even with the help of glasses or contacts. If you have glaucoma, seek the advice of an eye care professional and consult these low vision resources for information.

Although there is no cure (yet) for glaucoma, if it’s caught early, you can prevent vision loss. This year, take action to preserve your vision health.