What You Should Know About Your Aging Parents and Glaucoma

It is worrisome to hear that your elderly parent may have glaucoma. Receiving this diagnosis is frightening to both the senior who may be concerned with vision loss and/or blindness, and to the family members who will worry about the safety of Mom if she suddenly has sight issues. It is important to know that there are a number of different treatments that can be chosen, including both medication and surgery, so if possible, talk to your aging parent’s physician in addition to researching the best options and procedures for your family member.

Even though there is no cure as yet for glaucoma, there are treatments available, including eyedrops and surgery. These treatments are designed to lower pressure in the eyes so that the optic nerve will receive less damage. Surgery for glaucoma can be in the form of laser treatment or cutting surgery, and they’re both very effective and safe.

If Mom or Dad seems to be developing signs of glaucoma such as headaches after reading or when entering dark areas – especially if there are “halos” or blurry vision – urge him/her to see a physician immediately for a check-up . Other signs of glaucoma include poor color awareness, poor night vision, and if sections of what is being observed don’t appear, such as an entire word when reading.

There is no one measure that lets a glaucoma specialist diagnose glaucoma. Instead, she will likely look at a number of things such as visual field, the condition of the optic nerve, symptoms that are being experienced, intraocular pressure and decreased vision to see on either side and inability to perceive motion.

Now there are some lifestyle changes that your elderly family member can make to reduce the risk of eye pressure. Regular exercise (about 3 days per week) has been shown to reduce pressure. Although diet plays a small part in controlling glaucoma, caffeine should be avoided which may elevate eye pressure. Drinking large amounts of any liquid within a short amount of time also increases pressure. Having the senior wear sunglasses with high UV filtering lenses can also help.

If Dad is diagnosed with glaucoma and is using eyedrops for lowering eye pressure, be sure that they are used as prescribed. Most serious problems that develop with glaucoma are because patients fail to use the medication properly. One reason for this may be that some elderly have trouble getting the drop in the eye because of shaking or stiffness in the joints caused by arthritis or other joint diseases.

It is also very possible that some senior citizens may have problems in paying for the glaucoma medication. If cost of medication is an issue, talk to Mom or Dad’s health care provider about lower cost medication. Beta blockers can be purchased for about $5.00 per month and can be effective in lowering eye pressure when diagnosed with glaucoma. Also, get in touch with the Glaucoma Research Foundation or the National Eye Institute. Both organizations can provide useful information about glaucoma.

Patients who have glaucoma and suffer from any of the problems that make it difficult to take medication should discuss these issues with their doctors. These obstacles can be overcome and the patient needs to understand how important treatment for glaucoma is and know the ramifications for lack of treatment.