Glaucoma is one of those eye health conditions that get a lot of attention, but it is also highly misunderstood. Take a look at some of the myths associated with glaucoma.
Myth: Glaucoma blindness is not a preventable result of the disease.
While glaucoma itself may not always be preventable, you can control some of your risk factors. For example, eating a well-balanced diet and avoiding smoking can lower your risks of glaucoma. Blindness caused by glaucoma may be preventable as long as the condition is diagnosed in its earlier stages. Keep in mind that open-angled glaucoma may not show any symptoms early on, which is why annual eye exams are so important.
Myth: There is no treatment for glaucoma.
Glaucoma is treatable; not curable, but treatable. If you are diagnosed with glaucoma, the eye doctor in Austin, TX may take several routes to treat the condition and slow the progression. Medicated eye drops are one of the most common forms of treatment. When used as directed, these eye drops can be a highly effective way to slow the progression of glaucoma.
Myth: Glaucoma testing is a painful thing.
Glaucoma testing is not painful at all. You may feel some slight discomfort or burning if your eye doctor uses dilating or numbing eye drops before doing a visual exam, but other than that, you shouldn’t feel anything. There are actually a number of tests that may be performed to diagnose glaucoma, including:
- Corneal thickness tests
- Angle tests
- Glaucoma imaging tests
- Visual field tests
- Eye pressure check
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT GLAUCOMA FROM AN EYE DOCTOR IN AUSTIN, TX
Glaucoma is a common eye health condition, so it does get talked about a lot. Unfortunately, well-known conditions can have more associated myths because of the extra chatter. If you want to know more about your risks for glaucoma, reach out to us at Northwest Hills Eye Care in Austin, TX to schedule an appointment.
