Glaucoma

Why Comprehensive Exams are a Better Method for Early Glaucoma Detection. Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States and the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Called the “silent thief of sight,” the disease can reach an advanced stage long before visible changes in vision occur. Unfortunately, many people believe that they do not have the disease because they had a normal “air puff” screening. An estimated three million Americans have glaucoma, but only half know it. Glaucoma is a complex disease caused by damage to the optic nerve. In early stages, patients do not experience symptoms. Because of this, researchers estimate that up to 40% of vision loss occurs before patients notice any sight impairment. Vision loss begins peripherally and eventually begins to close in [...]