By Kay Quinn, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 17, 2008
Glaucoma has been called the "sneak thief of sight." It may be one of those diseases you’ve heard of but never really worried about. But if you’re over 40, ophthalmologists recommend you have a comprehensive eye exam to check for this disease, which is the leading cause of blindness in the United States.
Gladys Hopkins, 78, of St. Louis, was diagnosed with glaucoma in 1995. She had recently retired from her job as a nurse technician and admits to not getting the annual eye exams she said she knew she needed at the time.
"It was like 2 1/2 years before I went," recalled Hopkins, "and that’s when they found it."
Glaucoma encompasses several eye diseases. They can cause increased pressure in the eye and ultimately damage the optic nerve, which takes information from the eye to the brain.
The Glaucoma Foundation uses this analogy to explain the disease. Picture your eye as a sink with the faucet always running and the drain always open. In people with glaucoma, the drain for fluid in the eye becomes clogged and fluid can’t leave as fast as it’s made. That can cause pressure in the eye to rise and damage to the optic nerve, a condition that can lead to permanent vision loss.
Dr. Carla Siegfried, an ophthalmologist and glaucoma specialist at the Washington University Eye Center at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital, said glaucoma is treatable but not curable.
"The most important thing is to understand that there aren’t symptoms for this disease, and early diagnosis is our best chance to long term success," Siegfried said.
In most cases, she said, doctors can’t pinpoint exactly why people develop the disease. But certain groups are at a higher risk:
- Anyone with a family history of the disease
- Elevated eye pressure
- African or Spanish ancestry
- Farsightedness or nearsightedness
- Past eye injuries
- Anyone with diabetes, migraines, poor circulation
Age is also a risk factor. Glaucoma affects one in every 10 people over 80 but can occur in at any age group, including infants.
Hopkins has no family history of glaucoma. She initially had laser surgery to improve the fluid drainage in her eye but ultimately needed microsurgery to successfully treat her disease.
"A lot of people at this age are blind," Hopkins said. "I am fortunate."
Hopkins has lost much of her peripheral vision, but three different eye drop medications she uses three times a day have helped her preserve her central vision. At 78, her eyesight is still sharp enough for reading and watching TV.
Siegfried recommends making a point to ask your eye doctor if you’ve been checked for glaucoma.
It is more than a check for glasses," she said. "It is more than a pressure test."
Hopkins, a mother of six, said her children must now get regular eye exams to check for glaucoma. She encourages anyone over 40 to do the same.
"One of the main things is to keep your appointments, your doctor’s appointments, No. 1," said Hopkins, "and to use your medicines as the doctor prescribes them."
For more on glaucoma, visit the Glaucoma Foundation website at www.glaucomafoundation.org
You can find out more about the Washington University Eye Center at tinyurl.com/25phqc or by calling 314-362-3937.
Related Links:
• Stltoday.com story
• KSDK/Newschannel 5 story
• Glaucoma Research Foundation
• Washington University Eye Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital