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January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

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Be a Wise Healthcare Consumer

Glaucoma Awareness Month graphicDid you know that in the United States there are currently some 2.7 million people over age 40 that have glaucoma? The National Eye Institute projects this number will reach 4.2 million by 2030, a 58 percent increase.

Glaucoma is sometimes called "the sneak thief of sight" since there are very few symptoms in the early stages and once vision is lost, it's permanent. As much as 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing.

Glaucoma is the leading preventable cause of blindness. Do you know the facts about glaucoma and what you can do to keep your eyes healthy? Risk factors for glaucoma include age, ethnicity, family history, medical history, other eye problems, and the use of certain medications. You can learn more about by reading through this checklist and taking this “Eye Q” test from Prevent Blindness America.

The best way to catch any type of glaucoma is to have an annual eye exam. Simple tests performed during these routine eye checks may be able to detect damage from glaucoma before it advances and begins causing vision loss. If you haven’t had an eye exam in the last year, consider scheduling one soon.  

There are many more reasons to schedule an annual eye exam, ranging from monitoring the health of your eyeballs to detecting some overall systemic diseases and health conditions. Check out this flyer from Superior Vision for more information on the importance of an eye exam.

If you are enrolled in Superior Vision, call (800) 507-3800 or visit their website for information about contracted providers and your plan benefits.