Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes loss of sight by damaging a part of the eye called the optic nerve. This nerve sends information from your eyes to your brain. When glaucoma damages your optic nerve, you begin to lose patches of vision, usually side vision (peripheral vision). Over time, glaucoma may also damage straight ahead (central) vision. You may not notice a loss of side vision until you have lost a great deal of your sight. When checking for glaucoma, eye doctors usually look for damage to the optic nerve and any loss of side vision. They may also check your eye pressure. Glaucoma is often called the ‘silent killer’ because people usually do not notice any signs of the disease until they have already lost significant vision. Once lost, vision cannot be restored.

What are the three major signs that a person may have glaucoma?

• Optic nerve damage

• Vision loss (visual field loss)

• Increased eye pressure (elevated intraocular pressure)

Who is at Risk for Glaucoma?

These risk factors may increase your chance of having glaucoma:

• Age: The older you are, the greater your risk

• Race: African-Americans have glaucoma four to five times more often than others.

• African -Americans: are also likely to have glaucoma at a younger age

• Family history : If you have a parent, brother or sister with glaucoma, you are more likely to get glaucoma too. If you have glaucoma, your family members should get complete eye exams.

Medical history: Medical history: Diabetes, previous eye injuries, eye surgery or long-term steroid use anywhere in the body can increase your risk of glaucoma. Anyone can get glaucoma it affects one in 200 people until the age of 50. The rate increases to one in 10

• over the age of 80.