January is Glaucoma Awareness Month and it’s a great time for seniors and their families to learn more about glaucoma and how it impacts seniors. One of the most important things to know is that age is a primary risk factor for developing glaucoma. Approximately 10% of seniors over 80 will develop glaucoma. And more than 5% of seniors over 60 will develop glaucoma. If your senior parent has glaucoma, home care services can help.
With home care seniors who have glaucoma or other vision problems can safely continue living at home. If your senior parent needs help at home call a local care agency today to find out more about the benefits of home care.
Some of the things that seniors and their families should know about glaucoma in seniors are:
You May Not Notice Any Symptoms
Glaucoma is a progressive eye condition, but often seniors won’t notice any symptoms until it’s pretty advanced. That’s why it’s so important for seniors to get vision screenings and eye checkups at least once a year. Regular checkups by an eye doctor can catch glaucoma before it gets too advanced. Treatment may be effective, but only in the early stages. Make sure your senior parent is scheduled for at least one vision screening this year.
There’s More Than One Type Of Glaucoma
Seniors may develop any one of the different types of glaucoma. Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common. Other types include angle-closure glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma. Each type has different characteristics, but all of them can be caught by eye doctors and regular eye health exams.
Risk Factors Besides Age
Age is the main risk factor for glaucoma, but it’s not the only risk factor. Other risk factors for glaucoma include a family history of the disease, African or Hispanic ancestry, certain medical conditions like diabetes, and prolonged use of corticosteroids. Seniors who have any of these risk factors need to be particularly careful about their eye health. If your senior parent notices any vision changes or starts having eye issues they need to see an eye doctor right away.
Treatment Options For Glaucoma Are Usually Effective
While glaucoma cannot be cured, it can be managed effectively to slow down or prevent further vision loss. Treatment options may include prescription eye drops, oral medications, laser therapy, or surgery. Depending on the type of glaucoma that a senior has, and when it was diagnosed, treatments can be very effective. Your senior parent may be able to avoid any vision loss or complications from glaucoma if it’s caught early.
Advanced Glaucoma Can Cause Vision Loss
Even though treatment can be effective, if your senior parent loses their vision because of glaucoma there is no way to reverse that vision loss. Seniors can suffer permanent blindness from glaucoma.
Lifestyle Choices Are Important
Your senior parent can also lower their risk of developing glaucoma by making good lifestyle choices. Eating healthy foods that include lots of vitamin-rich leafy greens, not smoking, exercising, and other healthy habits do make a difference in a senior’s eye health.
Sources: https://www.healthinaging.org/a-z-topic/glaucoma/causes
https://ece.hsdm.harvard.edu/news/glaucoma-awareness-essential-health-aging-population
If you are considering hiring a Home Care Service that is dedicated to the senior care market, contact 24/7 Coastal Contact today at (251) 260-0226.
Let us show you how and why we are different from any other service you may have tried in the past. Our team approach is the standard that sets us apart from the rest.
Prior to establishing 24/7 Coastal Contact, Ms. King worked for 30 years in the health care industry. Her experience began providing direct patient care. Eventually, she transitioned into home care and home infusion, then acquired her HCS-D certification as a Home Health specialty coder where she learned about the administrative burden facing Home Health and Home Care providers.
It became clear that after-hours customer service was a major toll home care industry and it was with this need in mind that 24/7 Coastal Contact was founded. In the three years since its start, 24/7 Coastal Contact has grown explosively. Now, we provide service to over 40 agencies in over 24 states with a 95% retention of service rate.
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