As Glaucoma Week (March 9th – 15th) approaches, a leading eye surgeon is urging people to have regular eye tests in a bid to detect early problems receive necessary treatment for the disease.

Glaucoma is one of the most common eye disorders and can lead to seriously impaired vision or blindness but early detection means treatment can start immediately to minimise damage and prevent further deterioration. Glaucoma prevalence increases as populations age which means that here in the UK we need to educate communities about glaucoma awareness and the need for regular optic nerve checks to reduce the devastating effects of this condition.

[quote]”Eye tests are not just for those who already wear glasses as many common but preventable conditions can be detected by a simple eye test. If you don’t go, you may not find out that something is wrong until a disorder is already established. We call glaucoma a silent disease as there are often no symptoms until it is too late.

Although everyone is at risk there are certain groups who should get checked as a matter of urgency. Those over the age of 40, anyone who has a family history of glaucoma, those who are short-sighted, have diabetes, or are of African-Caribbean origin need to be checked as early detection and treatment literally saves sight. Many opticians also have advanced digital imaging equipment on site to offer panoramic and 3D views of the back of the eye as well as the front. This allows underlying conditions to be detected and diagnosed at very early stages and means patients can be treated earlier and more effectively.” Milind Pande is founder and consultant eye surgeon at Vision Surgery. [/quote]

A routine eye examination should be an essential part of everyday health care to help detect and deal with a range of degenerative conditions. Everyone knows they should go to the dentist once a year to look after their teeth and looking after your eyes should not be any different. See www.visionsurgery.co.uk