January is Glaucoma Awareness Month and the perfect time to raise awareness for this disease. Early on there are no symptoms. In fact, half of the people with glaucoma don’t even know they have it. Learn about glaucoma and the steps you can take to reduce your risk of vision loss.
There are several types of glaucoma, although the most common type of glaucoma is Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma, it begins at the peripheral working inward to weaken the central vision, this could lead to tunnel vision. It can cause irreversible and gradual damage of the optic nerve and vision.
You can prevent glaucoma with regular eye exams (with a visual field test) by an eye care professional and also by looking out for these subtle warning signs:
- Eye Pain
- Night Halos
- Tunnel Vision
- Blurred Vision
- Eye Swelling and Redness
- Nausea
- Sudden Visual Disturbance
- Severe Headache
Are you at risk?
Anyone can get glaucoma, but certain groups are at higher risk. These groups include African Americans over the age of 40, all people over the age of 60, and since it is hereditary, people with a family history of glaucoma, and people who have diabetes.
There are many steps you can take to help protect your eyes and lower your risk of vision loss from glaucoma.
- If you are in a high-risk group, get a comprehensive dilated eye exam to catch glaucoma early and start treatment. Prescription eye drops can stop glaucoma from progressing.
- Even if you are not in a high-risk group, getting a comprehensive dilated eye exam by the age of 40 can help catch glaucoma and other eye diseases early.
- Open-angle glaucoma does not have symptoms and is hereditary, so talk to your family members about their vision health to help protect your eyes and theirs.
- Maintaining a healthy weight, controlling your blood pressure, being physically active and avoiding smoking will help you avoid vision loss from glaucoma.
Stay aware of the risks and symptoms and remember an annual comprehensive eye exam is key for early detection of glaucoma and other eye diseases.
Click here to learn more about Glaucoma.
The other day my daughter Blythe asked me which Christmas I consider to be my favorite. I had to think a minute, because as a family, the Sullivan’s have had some great ones. I was about to say the first time you and your brother Tom were old enough to really get into Santa, being absolutely sure that the fat man brought your presents right down the chimney. I was about to say that, and then I remembered. 
Colorado, when our children were teenagers and our friend, the marvelous Betty White, joined us for a Christmas Eve sleigh ride none of us will ever forget. The night was perfect. It had snowed earlier that day, and the air had a feeling of Christmas that you could almost taste. Oh, sure, it was cold, but we were bundled up under tons of blankets as two beautiful Clydesdale horses with bells jingling took us through the woods to a magical barn where dinner would be served and carols sung. 
Tom Sullivan
Harsh weather conditions can reduce the natural moisture in your eyes and the irritation usually results in a burning or itching sensation that often leads to rubbing or scratching your eyes which can worsen the symptoms. Sometimes it feels like there is a foreign object in your eye and for some, dry eyes can even cause excessive tearing, as your eyes try to overcompensate for their lack of protective tears. Prolonged, untreated dry eyes can lead to blurred vision as well. Between the harsh winter winds outside and the dry heat radiating inside, our eyes are very quickly irritated and dried in the winter months. The result is itchy, dry eyes that may cause pain, blurred vision, a burning sensation, or even watery vision as our eyes try to compensate for the dryness.
For 8 years I served as a member of the Academy of Ophthalmology’s Foundation Board. In that time we conducted a number of studies in all areas of vision preservation. The one that I believe was most meaningful occurred when we asked thousands of people to express what frightened them most in life. Frankly, I was really surprised at the results of the study. I was sure that people would say maybe stage four cancer, or ALS, or some other terminal disease would be the thing that would frighten them the most. I would have imagined that they might talk about the loss of a loved one or even the fear of a natural disaster. The results of the study were very clear. 62% of all the participants said that the loss of vision was the single most frightening possibility they would ever have to face.
Tom Sullivan
I can only imagine my wife’s beautiful face. Oh sure, I’ve touched it and kissed it many times. I’ve felt the lines with the tips of my fingers, tracing our lives together, and I’ve heard her smile. I understand that’s not really seeing it. It’s not seeing her eyes as they sparkle with something funny I said; or, when she looks at me with love reserved only for those who are truly in love.
Costume Contact Lenses such as cat eyes or zombie may make your Halloween costume a bit more frightful although wearing those lenses without a prescription can be more terrifying, as it could result in vision loss or even blindness.
I could hear Charlie rubbing his wife’s shoulders and telling her that everything would be alright. But, Rose kept saying “I know we’ll have to sell the house and move into something smaller, and I am going to be blind Charlie. Blind.”
Today, people are living longer than ever before so it’s important to be proactive and take responsibility for your health as you age. 
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight increases your risk for diabetes. By exercising regularly, you can help keep your body healthy and prevent vision loss. 
Don’t smoke. Smoking increases your risk for age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and other eye diseases and conditions that can damage the optic nerve.
Wear protective eyewear when outdoors. Protecting your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays when you are outdoors is vital for your eye health. Wearing sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation.
Know your family history. Talk to your family members about their eye health history. It’s important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with a disease or condition since many are hereditary, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetes . This will help determine if you are at higher risk for developing an eye disease or condition.
Consider a multivitamin. Vitamins C, E and the mineral zinc have been shown to promote eye health. Vitamins with Lutein and Zeaxanthin have been known to help patients with moderate to severe age-related macular degeneration.
Give your eyes a rest. If you spend a lot of time at the computer or focusing at any one distance, you sometimes forget to blink, resulting in dryness and eye fatigue. Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds. This can help reduce eyestrain. Consider using a lubricant eye drop during long periods of intense eye use and rest your eyes for 5 minutes.
Tom Sullivan
