The Truth About Living with Glaucoma: Unseen Battles and Quiet Wins
Imagine your world's vibrant panorama subtly, almost imperceptibly, dimming at the edges. This is often how glaucoma, the "silent thief of sight," begins its stealthy encroachment—progressively damaging the optic nerve, typically due to a slow buildup of eye pressure. As a leading cause of irreversible blindness globally, especially for those over sixty, its true impact often lies in the daily, often unseen, battles waged by those diagnosed. Yet, life with glaucoma is also a profound testament to human resilience, filled with adaptive strategies and the quiet, hard-won victories of preserving precious vision through early detection and dedicated treatment. What is the real truth about navigating this journey? Join us as we delve into the everyday realities, the unseen challenges, and the inspiring triumphs that truly define what it means to live with glaucoma, from crucial eye appointments to embracing a future with clarity.
Frequency Of Eye Appointments
The average healthy adult can go up to two years without having an optometrist check their eyes. If they suffer from another eye condition, this can shorten to once a year. However, after receiving a glaucoma diagnosis, this can change, particularly in the short term. Once diagnosed, it is important for a patient to have their eye pressure checked frequently, often once a month or even once a week in severe cases. This should continue until the doctor monitoring the patient's eyes can get the pressure under control. However, patients often need to have multiple visits every year even after their eye pressure is at a safe level when they have glaucoma. Everything helps avoid blindness and vision impairment as much as possible! Doctors should listen to patient concerns about glaucoma and assuage them, inform patients of treatment options, and be available for calls and checkups. Patients are encouraged to build a good relationship with their eye doctor and not to be afraid to seek a second opinion if they are uncomfortable. This relationship is key to effectively managing glaucoma.
