Glaucoma Awareness Month

The Eye Clinic of Texas wants to focus patient’s attention on glaucoma this month as January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month. This is an important time to spread the word about this sight-threatening disease. Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness. Moreover, among African American and Latino populations, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness overall. Of particular note is that glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African Americans than Caucasians. Over 4 million Americans, and nearly 70 million people worldwide, have glaucoma.  Experts estimate that half of them don’t know they have it. Combined with our aging population, we can see an epidemic of blindness looming if we don’t raise awareness about the importance of regular eye examinations to preserve vision.

Our understanding of this disease, along with the ways in which we can diagnose and treat it, has improved considerably. Advanced diagnostic techniques such as in office optical coherence tomography (OCT) to study the optic nerve and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) make it possible for us to detect glaucoma earlier and avoid vision loss through early treatment. The availability of better treatment options including many new eye drop medications, lasers and microscopic implants help us prevent glaucoma vision loss.

If you, a relative or someone you know, is at risk for glaucoma based on age, heredity or health, please schedule an eye exam at The Eye Clinic of Texas, an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, at 800-423-3937, visit The Eye Clinic of Texas, Google+  or facebook.com/ecot.lasik.

The Eye Clinic of Texas is an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, the largest ophthalmology clinic in the nation. We are a leading eye care practice serving the greater Houston, Galveston & League City with offices at 1100 Gulf Freeway, Suite 114, League City, Texas 77573 and 2302 Avenue P, Galveston, Texas.