Tag Archives: Glaucoma awareness month

National Glaucoma Awareness Month

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Glaucoma is an eye condition that causes damage to your optic nerve, which transmits signals from your eye to your brain and allows you to see. This causes blind spots in your vision to develop over time.

Glaucoma often occurs due to increased pressure in the eye, which is itself typically caused by a buildup of fluid in the eye. However, it can still develop in an eye with normal pressure.

Glaucoma is also one of the most common causes of blindness for people over the age of 60, but it can occur at any age. Other risk factors for this disease include:

  • A family history of glaucoma
  • Eye injuries
  • Chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or sickle cell anemia
  • Extended use of corticosteroids
  • Extreme nearsightedness or farsightedness

Glaucoma encompasses several different conditions that present varying symptoms, making it potentially challenging to identify. Additionally, many forms of glaucoma, such as open-angle and normal-tension glaucoma, may not present any symptoms in their early stages. Forms of glaucoma include:

  • Open-angle glaucoma
  • Acute angle-closure glaucoma
  • Normal-tension glaucoma
  • Pigmentary glaucoma
  • Pediatric glaucoma

There is no cure for glaucoma. However, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing it. The first is to regularly visit an ophthalmologist for eye exams, including a comprehensive dilated eye exam by the age of 40. The second is to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle by maintaining a healthy weight, blood pressure, and physical activity level.

You can schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist for glaucoma diagnosis or treatment at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ophthalmology Department by calling (718) 206-5900.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

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Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that mainly affects people who are middle-aged or older, but it can affect anyone at any age. There are more than three million people in the United States and 60 million people worldwide who suffer from glaucoma.
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness.Typically the disease starts to develop suddenly, often without symptoms,  and once vision is lost, it is permanent. As much as 40 percent of vision can be lost before some people even notice a problem. It usually starts with loss of peripheral vision.Glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve so that the brain isn’t able to receive images from the eyes. There are two types of Glaucoma, Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma where pressure inside the eye increases on its own and damages the optic nerve and Secondary Glaucoma where another disease causes the pressure in the eye to increase and that results in optic nerve damage. Both types will eventually lead to blindness.

Early detection of Glaucoma can help to slow down the progression of the disease. Regular eye exams are very important. To schedule an appointment with an eye doctor at Jamaica Hospital, please call 718-206-5900.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

Posted on by
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that mainly affects people who are middle-aged or older, but it can affect anyone at any age. There are more than three million people in the United States and 60 million people worldwide who suffer from glaucoma.
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness.Typically the disease starts to develop suddenly, often without symptoms,  and once vision is lost, it is permanent. As much as 40 percent of vision can be lost before some people even notice a problem. It usually starts with loss of peripheral vision.Glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve so that the brain isn’t able to receive images from the eyes. There are two types of Glaucoma, Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma where pressure inside the eye increases on its own and damages the optic nerve and Secondary Glaucoma where another disease causes the pressure in the eye to increase and that results in optic nerve damage. Both types will eventually lead to blindness.

Early detection of Glaucoma can help to slow down the progression of the disease. Regular eye exams are very important. To schedule an appointment with an eye doctor at Flushing Hospital, please call 718-206-5900.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.