Recently my Mum was diagnosed with glaucoma in both eyes, it was quite a shock. She'd noticed a blind spot that seemed to be getting worse and this prompted her to get a check-up. We now know that she's had it for quite a long time, but it had gone unnoticed as she had thin corneas….it gradually snuck up on her which is really common.
Glaucoma is often called the silent or sneak thief of the sight, because it affects your vision gradually often without being noticed. If left untreated, it can eventually cause total blindness. Glaucoma is associated with a slow, often barely noticeable loss of your peripheral or 'side' vision. At first, glaucoma does not affect your central vision, so it can be very difficult to know if you have it.
Luckily for my Mum it's been detected and she's now getting it treated. I've since found out that as I have a parent with glaucoma I'm more at risk, so I've had my eyes checked and will need to do this every five years or so, just to be on the safe side.
I can recall not that long ago, watching an article on TV featuring Sir Richard Hadlee and also reading about glaucoma awareness and thinking then that I must encourage Mum and Dad to have their eyes tested. I forgot all about this until Mum mentioned that she'd had her eyes tested and had been diagnosed with glaucoma. It really reminded me of the importance of being vigilant and proactive - not just with my own health but also that of my parents.
Glaucoma NZ recommends that people without any symptoms of eye problems have an examination for glaucoma by the age of 45. If the examination is normal they recommend it be repeated every 5 years. The examination is not only to detect glaucoma early, but also to assess your risk of developing glaucoma.
The cost of an eye examination starts at approximately $50 and takes a little over 20 minutes. This seems like a relatively small investment of time and money to ensure that you, or your parents, keep your sight.