A regular exam could help save your sight. Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of vision loss. While it can't be reversed, it can be treated so that its damage is slowed and vision is preserved.
Glaucoma occurs when the fluid that's normally inside the eye drains too slowly.
That causes pressure in the eye to build up. The pressure on the optic nerve causes damage that can lead to blindness. Doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas say if glaucoma is detected early enough, new medical treatments can slow its progress and preserve vision. Unfortunately, glaucoma often isn't detected until it's too late because it has no symptoms in its early stages. It's estimated that 1.5 million Americans have glaucoma and don't even know it.