January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, which makes this the perfect time to spread the word about this sight-stealing disease. The Glaucoma Research Foundation says glaucoma is called “the sneak thief of sight” because there are no symptoms, but once vision is lost, it’s permanent. As much as 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing.

The optic nerve acts like an electric cable, carrying images from the eye to the brain. When glaucoma strikes, the optic nerve is damaged, which can slowly cause loss of peripheral vision and lead to “tunnel” vision. In its most advanced forms, glaucoma leads to total blindness.

The best way to protect your sight from glaucoma is to get a comprehensive eye examination. After age 65, doctors recommend a vision check every six to 12 months. The vision loss caused by glaucoma is permanent, but caught early, further damage can be prevented through treatment. Glaucoma medications slow the progression of vision loss by reducing elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) to prevent damage to the optic nerve. Surgical treatments are also available.

According to the World Health Organization, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, and is the leading cause of preventable blindness, so talk to your friends and family about glaucoma and make sure they realize that symptoms can be hard to notice. You can help raise awareness by reading up on glaucoma at the Glaucoma Research Foundation’s website.

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