Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
Vision is a precious gift that's easy to take for granted. This week on Healthwatch, we'll talk about what you can do to protect your vision and the research that may help prevent some forms of blindness.
One major cause of blindness is glaucoma, a disease that damages the optic nerve from too much pressure in the eye. More than 5 million Americans are at risk for glaucoma, and doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center say many of the people who have it may not even know it.
Dr. Jess Whitson, a UT Southwestern ophthalmologist, says glaucoma doesn't cause symptoms until the end stages when patients have lost their vision.
Glaucoma can be detected with a simple test, and treatment can help prevent or delay blindness. You should have an annual test starting at age 60 or at age 40 if you have risk factors like smoking, high blood pressure or a family history of glaucoma.
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April 2005
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