More than 2.2 million Americans have glaucoma.
Blindness is the most common complication of glaucoma. Often referred to as “the sneak thief of sight,” it’s a condition that can take away nearly half of a person’s vision before they even notice. Experts believe that half of the people who have glaucoma don’t even know it.
What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause permanent, progressive damage to the optic nerve, which sends images from the eye to the brain. There is no cure for glaucoma, but medication and/or surgery can slow or prevent further vision loss.
A study found that older adults with glaucoma suffered more falls that resulted in an injury. Vision loss also affects activities of daily living (ADLs) such as cooking, cleaning, lawn care, and other household chores. But with the assistance of a professionally trained or family caregiver, your loved one with glaucoma can continue living in their home while still staying safe.
Not only is a caregiver able to monitor your loved one to make sure they’re safe, but they can also help with cooking, light cleaning, running errands, and other tasks around the house.
Glaucoma and In-Home Safety
A person already suffering from glaucoma or glaucoma-caused blindness has to cope with living with this new disability, but it doesn’t mean they have to lose their independence.
A fall-risk assessment can determine the risks in the home for someone living with impaired vision. A few risks it checks for are making sure no cords stick out, getting rid of loose or frayed rugs, and arranging the furniture so it’s not an obstacle course.
There are several additional steps that experts recommend to make the home safer for a person living with glaucoma. One of the best ways to help a person with vision loss is to improve lighting inside the home.
This can be achieved by:
- Using overhead lights.
- Adding under-cabinet lighting.
- Adding extra lighting in hallways and on stairs.
- Controlling glare inside the home with blinds and curtains. (Glare can create shadows that may be disorienting.)
- Installing grab bars in bathrooms, putting handrails on both sides of stairs, and marking the edge of each step with brightly-colored tape can also make navigating the home easier and safer.
- Putting bright tape around the edge of a bathtub and using non-skid, brightly colored mats on the bathroom floor. In fact, bright colors can help all around the bathroom, from towels to the toilet seat.
Health Tips for Better Living with Glaucoma
There is no cure for glaucoma, but medication and/or surgery can slow or prevent further vision loss.
National nonprofit the Glaucoma Research Foundation also recommends that people with glaucoma eat a healthy diet because some nutrients can improve vision. While a healthy diet won’t prevent glaucoma from worsening, there are some foods to avoid, such as too much sugar or an excess of simple carbohydrates., which can increase the pressure inside the eye.
The Glaucoma Researcdh Foundation also notes that high amounts of caffeine can increase eye pressure and so can drinking too much of any liquid at one time – it’s best to spread fluid intake throughout the day. Exercise may also reduce eye pressure for some forms of glaucoma.
Glaucoma Frequently Asked Questions
Can you prevent glaucoma?
There is no clear path for how to prevent glaucoma. However, you can do things in your daily life to reduce your risk, including protecting your eyes from injury by wearing safety glasses when necessary, avoiding head-down positions, eating a healthy diet, and getting regular eye exams.
How can you find out if you have glaucoma?
An ophthalmologist can perform an eye exam, during which they’ll look for damage to the optic nerve. They may perform a variety of tests to determine the level of damage and how to treat it. Glaucoma tests should begin at age 40 to detect problems as early as possible.
Glaucoma vs. cataracts: What’s the difference?
Glaucoma is irreversible damage to the optic nerve caused by a buildup of pressure. Cataracts are a condition where the lens inside the eye gets cloudy, worsening your vision. Unlike with glaucoma, cataracts can typically be reversed with surgery.
Age in Place Safely with Help from Homewatch CareGivers
Our professional caregivers can make sure your loved one’s home is easy to navigate by performing a safety audit. We can also help them with daily activities such as housecleaning, shopping, and transportation. Contact your local Homewatch CareGivers by calling 888-404-5191 or filling out our contact form to schedule your free consultation.
