Surge In COVID-19 Has Lead To Worsening Of Existing Glaucoma Cases

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month. Known as an irreversible disease, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the US Covid-19 cases have dramatically increased leading to a delay in eye exams that can be the key to early detection for glaucoma, putting millions at severe risk for blindness ** Doctors available for interviews ** Seattle, WA – With COVID-19 cases rising in 2022 many are still hesitant to see their eye care provider. Glaucoma does not provide any symptoms early on and once vision is lost it is impossible to recover, further emphasizing the importance of visiting your eye care physician regularly to prevent irreversible blindness. According to a study released on January of 2022, conducted by the European Association for Vision and Eye Research, concluded that amongst patients diagnosed with glaucoma, a strong portion of those patients developed progressions of their glaucoma during the COVID Lockdown which could be a result of delayed follow ups. Glaucoma is a group of eye disorders that have few symptoms in their early stages, but eventually leads to damage of the optic nerve, which can then lead to vision loss or complete blindness. Affecting over 3 million Americans, as much as 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing. In another study conducted by Barraquer, in some of the situations patients have now lost their visual acuity which is said to be irreversible. “Early diagnosis or treatment is the only known way to treat glaucoma, an illness with no known cure. When working with your eye care physician, glaucoma can be treated and controlled before it becomes severe enough to cause vision loss.” said Dr. John Whitehead from Evergreen Eye Center, adding that “Vision loss can happen as rapidly as a few days to a couple years.” Regular eye exams are needed for a proper diagnosis and to prevent damage to the optic nerve. Once detected, medication and/or surgery can help limit the visual loss from glaucoma in most patients. Adhering to government and CDC protocols all of our clinics are cleaned, our staff is fully equipped with proper protection equipment such as masks and gloves to ensure the safety and health of our staff and patients. ### ABOUT Evergreen Eye: Evergreen Eye Center is a leader in medical and surgical eye care in Puget Sound. EEC surgeons are pioneers in cataract surgery in the region, having introduced micro-incisional treatment, then bladeless laser cataract surgery and, most recently, dropless cataract surgery. In addition, our ophthalmologists are committed to the highest levels of patient-centered care, including making eye care as comfortable, quick and effective as possible through today’s most advanced technologies and procedures.

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