By Lawrence Geyman, M.D.
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18 Jan, 2024
January is Glaucoma Awareness Month , and as a glaucoma specialist, this month holds special importance to me as a physician dedicated to preventing vision loss from glaucoma. I am also a member of the American Glaucoma Society Patient Care Committee, dedicated to improving patient education, outreach, and advocacy. Glaucoma is an eye disease that affects millions of Americans, in which the optic nerve, the nerve that connects the eye to the brain, suffers damage. After a critical amount of optic nerve fibers are damaged, the vision becomes affected. The causes of glaucoma are still being actively researched, though we know that eye pressure plays a significant role in the condition. In fact, nearly all therapies for glaucoma work by lowering the eye pressure. Importantly, simply having high eye pressure does not equate to having glaucoma, in a similar way to how simply having high blood pressure does not equate to having heart disease. Another significant risk factor for glaucoma is age, though rarer forms can affect younger individuals. Unfortunately, the damage that occurs to the optic nerve, and the resulting vision loss, is irreversible. In addition, glaucoma typically affects the peripheral vision first, and it progresses slowly. For this reason, a person may not know that they have vision loss from glaucoma until much later in the disease course. It is no surprise that glaucoma is thus known as the “silent thief of sight.” This is very different from a condition such as macular degeneration, which typically first affects the central vision that we use to read. Patients with vision loss from glaucoma may begin to bump into objects and may not be able to see their feet as they walk. Driving and other complex activities may become difficult or unsafe. Fortunately, with proper care and treatment, the progression of glaucoma can be slowed or halted. In the last decade, there has been an explosion in minimally invasive surgery, which is able to decrease the rate of vision loss with far fewer risks than with traditional glaucoma surgeries. New classes of medications have been made available, and refinements to the traditional surgeries have been devised. There are numerous research groups investigating neuroprotective therapies, which may offer a new way to treat glaucoma by protecting the optic nerve against damage. And, lastly, though likely still a long while away, regenerative therapy to reverse optic nerve damage is being studied, as well. It is important to ask your primary care physician or your primary eye doctor if a glaucoma evaluation is indicated, especially if you feel that your peripheral vision has worsened or if you notice gray, blurry, or black areas in your vision. A glaucoma evaluation often requires only a few additional examinations and tests. The Glaucoma Division at NJ Eye and Ear, consisting of myself, Dr. Khelly Savant, Dr. Nahndi Bush, and Dr. Daniel Stegman, is always here to answer any questions, as we work together to prevent vision loss and preserve our patients’ quality of life.