{"id":6856,"date":"2022-12-30T11:10:49","date_gmt":"2022-12-30T16:10:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/ophth\/?p=6856"},"modified":"2023-02-07T10:34:49","modified_gmt":"2023-02-07T15:34:49","slug":"january-glaucoma-awareness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/ophth\/2022\/12\/january-glaucoma-awareness\/","title":{"rendered":"January is Glaucoma Awareness Month!"},"content":{"rendered":"

An adult who faithfully visits his PCP for annual well-checks shows no signs of mid-life worsening vision and falls short of scheduling a first-time comprehensive eye exam in his 40s. At age 50, he is diagnosed with glaucoma at an overdue screening, 10 years past the recommended age. The asymptomatic patient is shocked to learn that glaucoma has caused irreparable damage to his optic nerve. If no treatment is sought to slow progression of this devastating disease,\u00a0 his gradually worsening vision will lead to complete loss of eyesight.\u00a0 \"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Had this health-conscious patient heeded ophthalmology field guidelines to visit an eye specialist in his 40s, his glaucoma could have been detected early on via a series of eye pressure, drainage angle, optic nerve and corneal tests. To draw attention to the alarming incidence of glaucoma in aging populations that goes widely undiagnosed in early stages, the <\/span>American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)<\/span><\/a> has designated January as \u201cGlaucoma Awareness Month.\u201d This month, the AAO is arming prevention-minded mid-lifers with a wealth of information on symptoms, causes and medical and procedural management of a multi-faceted ocular disease that is thankfully treatable once diagnosed. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n