Glaucoma: Tools and Resources for Daily Life 

According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, 80 million people worldwide have glaucoma and nearly half don’t even know they have it. Glaucoma is an eye disease that damages the optic nerve at the back of the eye and causes vision loss. Glaucoma has been referred to as the “Thief of Sight” since its most common form begins with virtually no symptoms.   

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), scientists aren’t sure what causes the most common types of glaucoma, but many people with glaucoma have high eye pressure — and treatments that lower eye pressure help to slow the disease. In the early stages, when it is most treatable, glaucoma doesn’t have any symptoms, which is why dilated eye exams are so important. 

Annual dilated eye exams are key in detecting it early to help minimize progression. What is a dilated eye exam? In this comprehensive eye exam, eye drops are given to dilate (widen) your pupil so that your doctor can check for glaucoma or other eye conditions. Since you cannot reverse the damage, it is paramount that it is diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Discuss options for treatment with your eye care professional to find out what is best for you. 

Tools for Daily Activities 

If you are living with glaucoma, you may experience low vision, blurry vision, or a reduced field of view. Magnification may be beneficial in these instances to make text easier to see and read. Since glaucoma most commonly affects peripheral vision and contrast sensitivity, magnification may not be the most important tool to use for reading. Adjustable contrast colors can help reduce glare and make letters and fine details visible again. 

Electronic video magnifiers, such as the ClearView C or Compact 10, can have a positive impact in your daily life. The adjustable magnification and contrast options offer you the ability to customize your reading experience to meet your needs.  The additional option of text-to-speech (OCR) is especially helpful when your eyes are fatigued, or you want to listen to a book, recipe, or article being read aloud. Watch or listen to our webinar, Glaucoma: Tools and Resources for Daily Life, to learn more. 

If you or someone you know has lost vision due to glaucoma, there are many tools available that can assist you in continuing your daily routines and remain independent. We offer everything from simple solutions such as lamps to add better lighting to your home or filter lenses to help with glare control to more advanced technology to help you read your mail and continue with your hobbies.  Connect with us to find a solution that is right for you.