RISK FACTORS FOR GLAUCOMA
Why are "Risk Factors" Important?
Identifying risk factors is crucial for prevention of irreversible loss of vision before it happens. When you ask whether or not you have glaucoma you are expressing concern about your eyes. What you need to know is not only whether there is definite glaucoma with optic nerve damage and visual disability, but whether you may have early glaucoma, or in fact have a high risk profile for developing glaucoma.
What are the risk factors for developing glaucoma?
There are two groups of risk factors: those you can know of without an eye examination and those that require an eye examination.
Risk Factors You May Know About |
| family history of glaucoma |
| steroid use |
| eye injuries |
| significant long or short sightedness |
Risk Factors You Need an Eye Examination to Know About |
| the major risk factor of raised eye pressure |
| the state of the optic disc |
| corneal thickness |
| the presence of eye diseases or structural abnormalities |
What is the difference between having a high risk profile and having early glaucoma?
Identifying risk factors leads to an individual risk profile: the possibility of your eyes developing glaucoma compared to an individual who has no risk factors. The risk factor profile may lead a decision for your eye care practitioner to implement glaucoma treatment even though you do not have glaucoma because the risk profile is so high, or your risk profile may justify more frequent eye examinations and proceeding to additional tests to detect early glaucoma.
You have glaucoma when your optic nerve has glaucoma damage that is both progressive and also affects your visual field. Earliest detection of glaucoma damage focuses on the assessment of the optic nerve head (optic disc) and the visual field.
Click here to read a full article from June 2008 Eyelights: |
