Should You Be Checked for Glaucoma?
Half of all people with glaucoma don't realize they have it until they begin losing their eyesight. Fortunately, those at risk for the eye disease can be tested and treated before their eyes become permanently damaged.
With glaucoma, the fluid pressure inside the eyes rises. This eventually damages the optic nerve and can lead to blindness. Glaucoma can happen to anyone. But people with an especially high risk for glaucoma should have an eye exam every two years. They include:
- Anyone older than age 60
- African-Americans older than age 40
- Those with immediate family members who've had the disease.
To make an appointment with the Ophthalmology Department, call
May/June 2006 A Healthy Tomorrow
The editorial content of this online publication is taken from the print version of A Healthy Tomorrow published by Loma Linda University Medical Center.