HOW OFTEN SHOULD I SEE MY EYE DOCTOR?
As a newly diagnosed person with glaucoma, you may need to have your eye pressure checked every week or month until it is under control. Even when your eye pressure is at a safe level, you may need to see your doctor several times a year for checkups.

WILL A DIAGNOSIS OF GLAUCOMA LIMIT MY LIFE?
We are limited only by what we think we can or cannot do. You can continue with what you were doing before glaucoma was diagnosed. You can make new plans and start new ventures. And you can trust the eye care community to keep looking for better treatment methods for glaucoma. Take good care of yourself and your eyes, and get on with enjoying your life.

WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP OTHERS?
As a glaucoma patient, you have the opportunity to teach your friends and relatives about this disease. Many people are unaware of the importance of eye checkups and do not know that individuals with glaucoma may have no symptoms. You can help protect their eye health by encouraging them to have their eye pressure and optic nerves checked regularly.

IF YOUR VISION BEGINS TO CHANGE
Some people with glaucoma have “low vision.” Low vision means there may be problems doing daily, routine things even if using glasses or contact lenses. With glaucoma, this can include loss of contrast sensitivity (the ability to see shades of the same color), problems with glare, light sensitivity, and reduced visual acuity (the ability to see fine details). A variety of products and resources are available to help people who have low vision. Examples include magnifiers, colored lenses, and computer text enlargers. If you have low vision concerns, help is available. Discuss your concerns with your doctor.

Last reviewed on June 26, 2020