Glaucoma was the last thing on my mind when I made my first appointment with an ophthalmologist. I was in my mid-30s and had good health insurance at the time, so I decided to add an eye exam to my annual healthcare routine. That’s when I learned that my eye pressure was slightly elevated (also known as ocular hypertension), and as a result I had borderline glaucoma. Thankfully, my ophthalmologist didn’t give me a reason to panic. She simply gave me samples of lubricant eye drops and said to come in for annual check-ups.
The most common form – open-angle glaucoma – is usually symptomless early on, which explains why 50% of people with glaucoma don’t know they have the disease.
Then in my early 40s, as many of us experience, one day I literally couldn’t read the fine print and I purchased my first pair of drugstore readers. I asked my new ophthalmologist if wearing non-prescription reading glasses was hurting my eyes. But he assured me it didn't matter if readers came from the dollar store or an expensive eyewear boutique. As he explained, glaucoma is related to high eye pressure and even patients with perfect 20/20 vision can still develop glaucoma.
Now in my early 50s, during the pandemic I noticed subtle changes in my vision that were beyond needing readers to magnify smaller text. Without my readers, images on the TV and movie screen were blurry. Initially, I thought eyestrain from daily computer use was the culprit. But when I went in for an ophthalmology appointment after skipping a year, I got some unexpected news.
“It looks like it’s gotten worse and it’s time to treat this,” my eye doctor said after taking longer than usual to read my test results.
While freaking out on the inside, I calmly asked if this meant I had progressed from borderline glaucoma to glaucoma?
Apparently, the answer wasn’t clear cut. Instead of reassurance, my ophthalmologist offered me treatment options to lower my intraocular pressure: Laser surgery or prescription eye drops. I weighed the pros and cons and opted for the less daunting daily drops. Although the drops have side effects, including red or stinging eyes, one positive side effect is eyelash growth. And after trial and error using a combination of drops for several weeks, another test showed my eye pressure significantly improved.
Although I’m pleased with my progress, I’m still concerned about my vision. My father has glaucoma and the risk is 20% higher if glaucoma is in your family. The eye disease also strikes earlier and progresses faster in African Americans, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation. So in addition to a six month follow-up with my ophthalmologist, I will consult with a woman of color glaucoma specialist to gain more insight into my specific case.
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a progressive and degenerative disease of the optic nerve. It usually happens when fluid builds up in the front part of your eye, which increases the pressure in your eye and damages the optic nerve, notes the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Glaucoma is called the “silent thief of sight,” and it’s the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. The most common form – open-angle glaucoma – is usually symptomless early on, which explains why 50% of people with glaucoma don’t know they have the disease. Currently, there is no cure for glaucoma, but if detected early, you can preserve your vision and prevent vision loss.