80,000 People Go Blind Per Year

We don't hear about the seriousness of glaucoma until January because it's Glaucoma Awareness Month. Did you realize that  Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in the world today? More than 80,000 people go blind from glaucoma every year in the U.S., and it is the leading cause of preventable blindness in African-Americans and people from the Caribbean and cataracts are the most identifiable cause of glaucoma. Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, the health of which is vital for good vision. This damage is often caused by an abnormally high pressure in your eye. Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60.

People with a family history of glaucoma, African Americans over the age of 40 and Hispanics over the age of 60 have an increased risk of developing glaucoma. Other risk factors include thinner corneas, chronic eye inflammation and taking medications that increase the pressure in the eyes. The following types of glaucoma are as follows: Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma. When the drainage angle of the eye becomes suddenly and completely blocked, intraocular pressure rises very quickly. Chronic Angle-Closure Glaucoma. Secondary Angle-Closure Glaucoma, and Neovascular Glaucoma.