About Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition
where the eye does not drain fluid properly, resulting in high pressure in the
eye that can damage the optic nerve. In the United States, 2.7 million people
age 40 and older have the condition. If left untreated, glaucoma reduces
peripheral vision and eventually may cause blindness.
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| Dr. Wu |
There is good news for those with glaucoma or at risk of getting glaucoma. New advances in diagnosis and treatment are thought to lower the
chance of vision loss, and in fact the risk of blindness from glaucoma has
dropped by nearly half according to researchers from Mayo Clinic.
According to the Mayo
Clinic study, the likelihood of losing sight in one eye was 28 percent for
patients diagnosed with glaucoma between 1965 and1980. That number fell to 13.5
percent for patients diagnosed between 1981 and 2000.
At D’Ambrosio Eye Care our
doctors and staff spend a great deal of time educating patients about their risk of glaucoma and
encouraging patients to have regular eye exams with glaucoma testing as this is
the best way to detect glaucoma early and initiate treatment as quickly as
possible. Our doctors use a combination of advanced technology for the earliest
possible detection and diagnosis of glaucoma including Optical Coherence
Technology (OCT) as well as high resolution digital photography for diagnostic
purposes. This early diagnosis along with in office laser treatments for
glaucoma has contributed to our ability to prevent vision loss and blindness
from glaucoma. Despite these advances, 15 percent of those diagnosed with
glaucoma still do go blind. We can’t over emphasize the importance of getting
regular eye exams to detect glaucoma in the early stages so that we can
prescribe vision preserving treatment as soon as possible.
If you or someone you know is concerned about glaucoma, has
any risk factors for glaucoma or needs to schedule a glaucoma eye exam, please
feel free to contact D’Ambrosio Eye Care by calling us at 800-325-3937,
visiting D’Ambrosio Eye
Care or facebook.com/dambrosioeyecare so that we can help.
D'Ambrosio
Eye Care provides eye care for patients throughout greater Boston, central and
western Massachusetts with office locations at 479 Old Union Turnpike,
Lancaster, Massachusetts 01523, 100 Powder Mill Road, Acton, Massachusetts
01720, 413 Main Street, Athol, Massachusetts 01331 and 74 Main Street, Gardner,
Massachusetts 01440.
