A YouGov poll at the beginning of 2021 put fitness, weight, and diet as the top three topics for new year's resolutions.[1] With health in mind we’d like to suggest another 2023 resolution; getting your eyes checked over for signs of glaucoma or other conditions.
Glaucoma is generally caused by high pressure inside the eye leading to damage to the optic nerve. The progressive nature of glaucoma means that many individuals may already have a measure of sight loss before it is identified. Once diagnosed there are treatments available which can help to manage or mitigate further deterioration; however, sight, which has already been lost, cannot be restored.
According to Glaucoma UK, in the twenty years leading up to 2035, the number of people living with glaucoma in the UK is expected to increase by 44%.[2]
Those with very high or low blood pressure are more at risk, as are diabetes sufferers and those with a family history of glaucoma.
January has been designated as glaucoma awareness month and it’s easy to see why. Fitness, weight, and diet are important new year resolutions, not just for overall body health but also to potentially stave off the development of conditions which could lead to glaucoma. But no matter how fit you are and how much you ensure that you are eating a balanced diet, having a regular eye test which looks for signs of glaucoma just could help to save your sight in later life.
Very soon Occuity will be launching the PM1 Pachymeter, a non-contact, handheld device that will allow for the earlier, faster, and more accurate screening of glaucoma. Next time you go for your annual eye exam, ask about being screened using the Occuity PM1 Pachymeter.