New Study Shows That Up to 5% of 70-year-olds Have Glaucoma, and Most of the People Don’t Know

According to a recent study conducted in Sweden, glaucoma affects as many as 5% of people who are 70 years old, and of those who are diagnosed with the condition, 50% were unaware that they had it. That is one terrible turn of events! Those who were given the result were able to begin therapy with regular eye drops that reduced the pressure within the eye and slowed the damage that was being done to the optic nerve. Those who did have glaucoma said, however, that the quality of their lives with regard to their eyesight was diminished.

Find out more about it in the following paragraphs.

The glaucoma research recruited 1,203 people above the age of 70 for participation. The vast majority of participants provided written responses to queries concerning their eye condition and whether or not glaucoma ran in their families. The participants’ eyes were also evaluated by ophthalmologists at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, who examined 560 of the study subjects.

Of those who were diagnosed with glaucoma via the study, 15 people — or 2.7% of all participants — were unaware that they had the disease before being examined, So half of those who turned out to have glaucoma were diagnosed because they took part in the study, stated Lena Havstam Johansson study author, and a Ph.D. student at the University of Gothenburg and a specialist nurse at Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

Researchers found that those who had glaucoma did not engage in significantly more strenuous physical activity, did not consume significantly more alcohol, and did not smoke significantly more than people who actually did not have the illness. What’s more intriguing is that they did not have a greater amount of fatigue or depression. In all actuality, their general and general level of life was on par with that of the other people. On the other hand, those who were diagnosed with glaucoma had a significantly increased risk of having a close relative who also had the condition. Even though glaucoma is associated with greater eye pressure, the majority of people who were newly diagnosed with the condition maintained regular eye pressure. The percentage was 67%.

Because a functioning eye can make up for diminished vision, patients with early-stage diseases may mistakenly assume that their ability to see is still regular, even after the disease has begun in its early stages.

What are the symptoms that indicate glaucoma?

The following is a list of symptoms that indicate an acute attack of angle-closure glaucoma:

1. The lights appear to be surrounded by rainbow-colored rings or halos.
2. Suffering from a headache.
3. The eyesight has all of a sudden become fuzzy.
4. Suffering from intense discomfort in eye(s).
5. Throwing up.
6. A queasy feeling in the stomach.

It is vital to make an appointment with a professional in order to ascertain the condition of your eyes and to receive the appropriate treatment and care!