How do you celebrate the new year? Whether you are a New Year’s resolution maker or not, at Eye Medical Clinic, we resolve every year to give our patients the best possible vision care so you can see all your days with the vision you deserve. And this first month of 2023, we are focused on education about glaucoma.
Eye Medical Clinic has served generations of families in the Santa Clara Valley for more than 75 years, and we are still serving families today. We’d like to remind you that the importance of annual eye exams goes well beyond just making sure your vision isn’t blurry. Good eye health can safeguard your health and wellness and even prevent diseases like glaucoma.
The Silent Thief of Sight
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world today. It often has no symptoms – especially in its early stages – and for that reason is commonly called “the silent thief of sight”. The Glaucoma Research Foundation estimates that more than 3 million Americans are living with glaucoma today, and about half of those people don’t even know they have it! If left untreated, glaucoma can slowly diminish their vision.
What Exactly is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a condition characterized by damage to the delicate fibers that make up the optic nerve in your eye. Eye pressure can damage these fibers, and when enough of them are damaged, blind spots develop in your field of vision. Most people don’t notice these blind supports until irreversible damage has been done.
Am I at Risk of Developing Glaucoma?
Anyone can develop glaucoma at any time; even children, although that is rare. But there are certain risk factors that make it more likely you will develop the disease:
- Over age 40
- Family history of glaucoma
- Diabetes
- African American or hispanic heritage
- Severe nearsightedness or farsightedness
- History of injury to the eye
- Certain infections in and around the eye
- Certain medications (especially steroids)
How is Glaucoma Treated?
The goal of glaucoma treatment at Eye Medical Clinic is to preserve your current level of vision and to prevent any further vision loss. Treatment can vary, depending on the type of glaucoma diagnosed, the degree to which the disease has progressed, your underlying risk factors and a few other variables. Generally, prescription medicines (eye-drops and oral medications), laser procedures and surgery are all utilized in an attempt to preserve vision.
For many patients with glaucoma, medication alone (or several medications combined) will be enough to control eye pressure. But when medical treatment alone fails to sufficiently reduce the pressure, surgery is another option.
See Every Moment with the Vision You Deserve
Our experienced team of specialists at Eye Medical Clinic includes specialty trained ophthalmologists and an experienced optometrist. We are dedicated to all your eyecare needs, from the youngest member of the family to the most senior member. Our full scope eyecare services ranges from vision evaluation and prescriptions for glasses or contacts, to advanced medical and/or surgical care for dry eyes, droopy lids, cataracts, refractive surgery or retinal detachment.
We invite you to experience our expert eye care for every generation at Eye Medical Clinic. Our team of experienced doctors can help you enjoy 2023 (and every year to come!) to the fullest…with the vision you deserve. Another reason to be excited about the new year? If you have vision benefits through an employer, they just reset for 2023. Schedule your eye exam today and allow us to help you See Every Moment.
