Glaucoma is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the United States, but half of people with glaucoma don’t know they have it because glaucoma has no early symptoms. For this reason, glaucoma is sometimes called “the sneak thief of sight.” One way to check for it is to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam. There’s no cure for glaucoma, but starting treatment as early as possible can help stop vision loss.
Anyone can get glaucoma, but some people are at higher risk, including people who:
- Are over age 60
- Are Black/African American and over age 40
- Are Asian American
- Are Hispanic/Latino
- Have a family history of glaucoma
To prevent vision loss, the first step is education. Learn more about glaucoma — what it is, how to get tested, and how to get treatment.
