Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of permanent vision loss around the world, but many people do not know they have it.
The disease slowly damages the optic nerve, which carries visual information from the eyes to the brain.
Because the damage happens little by little and usually does not cause pain, people often notice nothing until part of their eyesight has already been lost. Vision that has been destroyed by glaucoma cannot be restored, making early detection very important.
A new study from Sweden suggests that many older adults are living with glaucoma without knowing it. The research was carried out as part of the H70 study, a long-running project that has followed the health of older people for about 50 years.
For this part of the project, researchers examined the eyes of 560 people who were all 70 years old. The findings were published in the journal Acta Ophthalmologica.
The researchers found that almost 5% of the participants had glaucoma. About half of those people had never been told they had the disease before joining the study. Their glaucoma was only discovered because they received a full eye examination during the research.
Lead researcher Dr. Lena Havstam Johansson said these early diagnoses were very important because treatment could begin before more vision was lost. In most cases, glaucoma is first treated with medicated eye drops that lower pressure inside the eye. This can slow or stop further damage to the optic nerve and help protect eyesight.
One reason glaucoma is difficult to find is that it usually develops without clear symptoms. When only one eye is affected at first, the brain can use information from the healthier eye to make vision seem normal. As a result, people may not notice changes until the disease has become more advanced.
The study also showed that high eye pressure is not always present. Many of the newly diagnosed participants had normal eye pressure, showing that this measurement alone cannot identify every case. This means regular eye examinations are more useful than relying on eye pressure tests by themselves.
Family history is another important risk factor. People with a close relative who has glaucoma are more likely to develop the disease themselves. Even so, the researchers found that participants with glaucoma were just as active and emotionally healthy as those without the condition, and they did not smoke or drink more often.
Some people with glaucoma did report problems with everyday activities. They found it harder to notice objects to the side, climb stairs safely, or see curbs when walking in the evening. These small changes may reduce confidence and make some people less willing to leave home.
The findings highlight the value of regular eye check-ups, especially for older adults and anyone with a family history of glaucoma. Even if your vision seems normal, a complete eye examination can detect the disease before serious damage occurs.
Early treatment allows many people to keep useful vision for the rest of their lives and continue enjoying normal daily activities.
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