Specsavers Opticas (Columnist)
GLAUCOMA is known as the ‘silent destroyer of eyesight’ and a common cause of avoidable blindness.
Q. What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is often related to a change in the flow of the fluid inside the eye, which leads to an increase in pressure and damage to the optic nerve.
Q. How is it diagnosed and treated?
Some types of glaucoma develop gradually, and the sufferer is often unaware of any problem until it is quite severe. Early detection and treatment is vital as glaucoma need no longer lead to blindness.
There are three simple tests that opticians perform to spot glaucoma during an eye test; a visual examination of the optic nerve head, a check of the field of vision and measurement of the pressure within the eye. If caught early enough, Glaucoma can be treated with drops.
Q. Who is at risk of developing it?
Some kinds of glaucoma can be inherited, and first-degree relatives (i.e. mother, father, brother, sister or child) of a glaucoma sufferer have approximately eight times the normal risk of developing primary open-angle glaucoma. Diabetics, Afro-Caribbeans and very short-sighted people are also at greater risk.
There are Specsavers stores in Fuengirola and Marbella and digital retinal photography is included in eye tests as standard. To book an eye test or find your nearest store visit specsavers.es
