Monday, January 19, 2015

Better Glaucoma Diagnosis & Treatment Reduces Blindness

Each January we begin the New Year with a strong emphasis on patient education and awareness on glaucoma prevention. This along with a number of improvements in diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma has had a meaningful impact on reducing blindness from glaucoma. A recent study from Mayo Clinic suggests that there is good news for those with glaucoma or at risk of getting glaucoma in that all of these efforts and the advances in diagnosis and treatment have lowered the risk of blindness from glaucoma by nearly half.


About Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition where the eye does not drain fluid properly, resulting in high pressure in the eye that can damage the optic nerve. In the United States, 2.7 million people age 40 and older have the condition. If left untreated, glaucoma reduces peripheral vision and eventually may cause blindness. According to the Mayo Clinic study, the likelihood of losing sight in one eye was 28 percent for patients diagnosed with glaucoma between 1965 and1980. That number fell to 13.5 percent for patients diagnosed between 1981 and 2000.

Patients have an important role in scheduling regular eye exams with glaucoma testing as this is the best way to detect glaucoma early and initiate treatment as quickly as possible. At Doctor & Associates we  use in office high technology diagnostic imaging called Optical Coherence Technology (OCT) as well as high resolution digital photography for diagnostic purposes along with in laser treatments for glaucoma-all of which has contributed to our ability to prevent vision loss and blindness from glaucoma.

If you or someone you know is concerned about glaucoma, has any risk factors for glaucoma or needs to schedule a glaucoma eye exam, please feel free to call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County or facebook.com/doctorandassociates to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.