About Glaucoma

Glaucoma condition is part of a group of eye diseases which result in damage to the optic nerve resulting in loss of vision. It is the second most common cause of sight loss around the world, the number of people diagnosed with the condition is set to spike due to an aging population.

There are many types of Glaucoma such as Primary Open Angle, Acute Angle Closure, Secondary Glaucoma, Normal Tension and Congenital Glaucoma. Similar to AMD, Glaucoma is painless, so it also goes unnoticed for a while until drastic changes are noticed. It can take many years for the condition to develop, affecting your peripheral vision first. Open-Angle Glaucoma is the most common type and accounts for 90 percent of all cases of the condition.

Glaucoma affects the vision through a damaged nerve as the optic nerve carries sight to the brain so once this is damaged vision is lost. Glaucoma is not curable but early detection through eye tests, prevention and treatments could control it and prevent permanent sight loss.

Living with Glaucoma affects people in different ways, early diagnosis can make a huge difference, at Beacon we support people and help them realise their true potential and not let the condition limit their life. If you know somebody with sight loss living in the Black Country or Staffordshire and would like to know more about how we can help them, contact us on – 01902 880 111.