If you have a high risk for glaucoma, then it’s a good idea to meet with your Chicago eye doctor on a regular basis. Having a complete eye exam every year or two can be the best way to detect early signs of glaucoma, and a Chicago optometrist can help you to know the treatments to use in order to prevent additional eye problems.
There are several groups of people with a higher risk for glaucoma, including:
- Adults over 60 years old are six times more likely to get glaucoma than younger people.
- A family history of glaucoma might indicate that you have a higher risk, especially for primary open-angle glaucoma.
- Eye injury might increase your risk of glaucoma, even if the injury occurred many years ago. If the eye was bruised in an injury, then it can impact the drainage system within the eye, leading to glaucoma.
- Certain ethnicities have a higher risk for glaucoma. For example, African Americans have a 6 to 8 times higher risk of glaucoma compared with Caucasians, and glaucoma is the 2nd leading cause of blindness among adult African Americans. Hispanics also have a higher risk as well.
- People with an Asian ethnicity have a higher risk for angle-closure glaucoma.
- Certain types of medications, such as steroids, have been associated with a higher risk of open-angle glaucoma. The glaucoma risk increases with high doses of steroids, but seems minimal for low-dose steroid use.
- People with hypertension are at a higher risk for glaucoma.
If any of these glaucoma risk factors apply to you, then it is best to schedule an appointment with a Chicago optometrist to assess your glaucoma risk level.
