Glaucoma

Glaucoma can affect anyone. Some people are at a higher risk of getting glaucoma:

1. People older than 60

2. Relatives of glaucoma patients (brothers, sisters, parents, children) are more likely to get glaucoma and at a younger age

3. Those who are of African American, Latino, or Asian descent are more likely to get glaucoma, and often at a younger age

4. Extremely near-sighted or far-sighted people

5. Those with increased eye pressure

6. Those who use steroid medications

About half of those with glaucoma don't even know they have it. The earlier we catch and treat it, the less likely someone will lose sight or go blind. If you have a direct relative who has glaucoma, you may be up to 10 times more likely to have glaucoma and not have any symptoms. Click here to learn more about how to check if you have glaucoma.

Early on, people don’t even realize they have glaucoma. This is because it starts by blurring certain areas of your vision, until eventually there may be missing or dimmer areas that you may not notice unless you look closely and cover one eye. The problem is when you lose even a little bit of vision, you can never get that back. Click here to see an example of how glaucoma can affect your vision.

© Images by Dr. Ann Hoste - Belgian Glaucoma Society

You should get your eyes checked for glaucoma by an eye doctor (an “ophthalmologist”). The earlier we catch it, the better! This website will help you find an eye doctor to take care of you.

3 easy ways to find a glaucoma doctor in your area:

• • Check out the American Glaucoma Society website by entering your ZIP code here.

  • Check out the American Academy of Ophthalmology website by entering your ZIP code click here.

  • To request an appointment with Wills Eye Hospital specialists in the Philadelphia area click here.

If you get checked, and you do not have glaucoma, you may still get glaucoma in the future. Because you are at a higher risk of getting glaucoma, you should be checked out more frequently by a doctor.

At the very least, you should get an eye exam every two years. Depending on what your doctor thinks when they check out your eyes, they might suggest seeing them more often.

Yes, we have a lot of options to help treat glaucoma! Just like blood pressure, each eye has an eye pressure that can change. We can slow down or prevent blindness from glaucoma by lowering the eye pressure. Eye doctors can help lower eye pressure by using:

1. Laser treatment

2. Prescription eye drops

3. Surgery

To learn more about treatment options, click here.

Not a problem! Here are some options to get free or low-cost eye care:

1. You may be able to get a free eye exam by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Click here to find out if you qualify.

2. If you don’t have insurance, you can get free care from community programs. To find a community health center near you, click here.

3. There are many places that can help you pay for eye care. Click here to see their complete list and information.

4. The National Eye Institute website has other ways to get free or affordable eye care! Click here to visit their web page.

5. American Glaucoma Society doctors offer free glaucoma surgery! Click here to see if you qualify and find a specialist.

6. American Glaucoma Society also offers low-cost care and financial support! Click here to see if you qualify and find a specialist.

• You can find first-hand experience from glaucoma patients and families by clicking here.

• To learn more about types of glaucoma, click here.

• To learn more about what to expect during an eye exam, click here.

• These websites are great additional resources:

• Glaucoma Research Foundation

• American Glaucoma Society

• American Academy of Ophthalmology

• Wills Eye Hospital

• Mayo Clinic

• National Eye Institute