If you're like most busy people, you don't pay a lot of attention to eye health until and unless you begin to experience changes in vision or pain or discomfort in the eye area. Unfortunately, certain ocular diseases don't come with obvious symptoms when they're in their early stages, and by the time you notice that something's not quite right, your eyes may have already suffered significant damages. Glaucoma, for instance, often has no warning signs whatsoever, and modern medicine has not yet discovered a way to restore lost vision after glaucoma has damaged the optic nerve. If glaucoma is left untreated, you will eventually go blind.
Regular eye exams provide the best way to guard against glaucoma-related vision loss. Another important factor in limiting the damage caused by glaucoma is awareness. Although glaucoma is actually a group of similar conditions that have different root causes, those with Type 2 diabetes are usually most at risk for developing this disease. Here's what you need to know about glaucoma if you're a diabetic.
You're Twice as Likely to Develop Glaucoma If You Have Type 2 Diabetes
Those with diabetes are twice as likely to develop glaucoma as their diabetes-free counterparts — which means you need to be twice as vigilant concerning this potentially debilitating disease. The most common type of glaucoma that affects those with diabetes is called open-angle glaucoma, which develops so slowly that you may not even notice vision loss because it occurs so gradually. In fact, it may take several years before you notice any vision loss at all.
Routine Glaucoma Screenings Aren't Enough
Your eye doctor should be performing glaucoma tests on a regular basis — this is the only way to know for sure whether glaucoma is a part of the picture. Glaucoma screenings are limited to a brief evaluation of the optic nerve designed to assess levels of eye pressure — increased eye pressure is a leading cause of glaucoma. However, further evaluation should occur in those with Type 2 diabetes or who are otherwise at risk for developing this disease. A comprehensive glaucoma exam consists of five separate parts. Your eye doctor will first place eye drops in your eyes for the purpose of numbing them so that an instrument called a tonometer can be used to gauge your eye pressure. Because these drops can cause blurred vision for several hours, it's important to bring someone with you to the appointment so that you can return home safely after the examination is over.
Your eye doctor will then perform an ophthalmoscopy using a device with a light on the end for the purpose of closely examine the optic nerve. He or she will then test your peripheral vision, measure the thickness of your cornea, and check to see whether the angle between the cornea and iris.
If your eye doctor diagnoses you with glaucoma, he or she will devise a course of treatment designed to prevent any further loss of vision. Treatments may include oral medication, eye drops, or surgery. A variety of surgical procedures for glaucoma have been providing promising results in recent years, including laser surgery and traditional drainage implant surgery.
Preventive Measures May Help
Preventive measures for those with risk factors, such as Type 2 diabetes, for developing glaucoma include eating a healthy diet, avoiding becoming dehydrated, and engaging in a regular program of moderate exercise. However, keep in mind that nothing takes the place of regular visits to your eye doctor when it comes to circumventing damage to the eyes and vision loss caused when glaucoma remains undiagnosed and untreated for a number of years.
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