PITTSFIELD, Mass. - January marks Glaucoma Awareness Month and Dr. Mark DiPillo, a glaucoma specialist at the Berkshire Eye Center, is stressing the importance of getting regular eye exams.
What You Need To Know
- January is Glaucoma Awareness Month
- Spectrum News spoke with a glaucoma specialist and a patient who has been receiving treatment for the eye disease since his diagnosis about 12 years ago
- According to the National Eye Institute, glaucoma is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the United States
- The CDC reports more than 3,000,000 Americans have the eye disease
Benny David is a patient at the center who’s been living with his diagnosis for about 12 years. Although glaucoma can develop in anyone, David said his family has a history.
“My mom had a history of glaucoma," David said. "I think my grandmother might have actually gone blind with glaucoma – this is back in India when, in those times, they didn’t have treatment for it.”
He’s worn glasses for most of his life, but David said his glaucoma diagnosis came after a screening.
“I guess I was at an optician at one point, and he said, 'have you checked your peripheral vision?' and I said, 'no I haven’t,'" David said. "So, he referred me to this office here.”
A doctor at Berkshire Eye Center found David's eye pressure to be unusually high. After going through laser treatment and seeing what drops work best for his eyes, David now uses prescription eye drops to help maintain his vision.
DiPillo said checking for glaucoma involves tests on the health of the patient’s optic nerve as well as a visual field test. He said it’s always a good idea to get your eyes checked, and now’s a good time.
“Glaucoma usually effects the peripheral vision first, and what we’re looking for is subtle changes in the peripheral vision," DiPillo said. "The idea of having a glaucoma awareness month is that most cases of glaucoma are silent.”
Glaucoma is often called “the sneak thief of sight.” It has no symptoms and causes permanent damage. DiPillo said early detection is key.
“Early diagnosis and early treatment leads to much better outcomes and ultimately better vision in the long run for people,” DiPillo said.
“It’s good to be proactive about your eyes because, at the end of the day, it’s your eyes and it’s your functioning in the world,” David said.
DiPillo recommends exams every two to five years for people who have have healthy eyes, and more frequently if they're over the age of 40, wear glasses or have a family history of any eye diseases.