GLAUCOMA: Facts

Glaucoma Facts and Stats

Glaucoma is a very misunderstood disease. Often, people don’t realize the severity or who is affected. We hope the following information is helpful to you.
Four Key Facts About Glaucoma.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness
Glaucoma can cause blindness if it is left untreated. And unfortunately approximately 10% of people with glaucoma who receive proper treatment still experience loss of vision.
There is no cure (yet) for glaucoma

Glaucoma is not curable, and vision lost cannot be regained. With medication and/or surgery, it is possible to halt further loss of vision. Since glaucoma is a chronic condition, it must be monitored for life.

Diagnosis is the first step to preserving your vision.

Everyone is at risk for glaucomaEveryone is at risk for glaucoma from babies to senior citizens. Yes, older people are at a higher risk for glaucoma but babies can be born with glaucoma (approximately 1 out of every 10,000 babies born in the United States).
Young adults can get glaucoma, too. African-Americans in particular are susceptible at a younger age.
There may be no symptoms to warn youWith open angle glaucoma, the most common form, there are virtually no symptoms. Usually, no pain is associated with increased eye pressure.
Vision loss begins with peripheral or side vision. You may compensate for this unconsciously by turning your head to the side, and may not notice anything until significant vision is lost. The best way to protect your sight from glaucoma is to get tested. If you have glaucoma, treatment can begin immediately.
Some Statistics About GlaucomaSources are listed at the bottom of this page.
It is estimated that over 3 million Americans have glaucoma but only half of those know they have it. (1)
Approximately 120,000 are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness in the U.S. (2)
About 2% of the population ages 40-50 and 8% over 70 have elevated IOP.
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, according to the World Health Organization.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African-Americans. (2)
Glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African-Americans than Caucasians. (3)
African-Americans ages 45-65 are 14 to 17 times more likely to go blind from glaucoma than Caucasians with glaucoma in the same age group.
The most common form, Open Angle Glaucoma, accounts for 19% of all blindness among African-Americans compared to 6% in Caucasians. (4)
Other high-risk groups include: people over 60, family members of those already diagnosed, diabetics, and people who are severely nearsighted.
Estimates put the total number of suspected cases of glaucoma at around 65 million worldwide. (5)
Public Awareness and AttitudesA survey done for GRF by ICR, Inc. in Media, PA, found that:
74% of over 1,000 people interviewed said they have their eyes examined at least every two years. 61% of those (less than half of all adult Americans) are receiving a dilated eye exam (the best and most effective way to detect glaucoma). 16.1% of African-Americans were unfamiliar with glaucoma. 8.8% of Caucasians do not know anything about glaucoma. A Research To Prevent Blindness Survey found that:
Blindness ranked third (after cancer and heart disease) as people’s major fear. 20% of people knew that glaucoma was related to elevated pressure within the eye. Most of them mistakenly thought people could tell if they had glaucoma due to symptoms, or that it was easily cured, or that it did not lead to blindness. 50% had heard of glaucoma, but weren’t sure what it was. 30% had never heard of glaucoma.



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Diagnostic Tests
Early detection, through regular and complete eye exams, is the key to protecting your vision from damage caused by glaucoma.
It is important to have your eyes examined regularly. Your eyes should be tested at:
ages 35 and 40
age 40 to age 60, get tested every two to four years
after age 60, every one to two years
Anyone with high risk factors, should be tested every year or two after age 35.


Four Common Tests for Glaucoma
Regular glaucoma check-ups include two routine eye tests: tonometry and ophthalmoscopy.
1.Tonometry
Ttest he tonometry measures the inner pressure of the eye. Usually drops are used to numb the eye. Then the doctor or technician will use a special device that measures the eye’s pressure.

2.Ophthalmoscopy
Ophthalmoscopy is used to examine the inside of the eye, especially the optic nerve. In a darkened room, the doctor will magnify your eye by using an ophthalmoscope (an instrument with a small light on the end). This helps the doctor look at the shape and color of the optic nerve.
If the pressure in the eye is not in the normal range, or if the optic nerve looks unusual, then one or two special glaucoma tests will be done. These two tests are called perimetry and gonioscopy.
Perimetry
The perimetry test is also called a visual field test. During this test, you will be asked to look straight ahead and then indicate when a moving light passes your peripheral (or side) vision. This helps draw a “map” of your vision.

3.Gonioscopy
Gonioscopy is a painless eye test that checks if the angle where the iris meets the cornea is open or closed, showing if either open angle or closed angle glaucoma is present.
Optic Nerve Computer Imaging
In recent years three new techniques of optic nerve imaging have become widely available. These are scanning laser polarimetry (GDx), confocal laser ophthalmoscopy (Heidelberg Retinal Tomography or HRT II), and optical coherence tomography (OCT).
The GDx machine does not actually image the optic nerve but rather it measures the thickness of the nerve fiber layer on the retinal surface just before the fibers pass over the optic nerve margin to form the optic nerve. The HRT II scans the retinal surface and optic nerve with a laser. It then constructs a topographic (3-D) image of the optic nerve including a contour outline of the optic cup. The nerve fiber layer thickness is also measured. The OCT instrument utilizes a technique called optical coherence tomography which creates images by use of special beams of light. The OCT machine can create a contour map of the optic nerve, optic cup and measure the retinal nerve fiber thickness. Over time all three of these machines can detect loss of optic nerve fibers.

4.Your intraocular eye pressure

(IOP) is important to determining your risk for glaucoma. If you have high IOP, careful management of your eye pressure with medications can help prevent vision loss. Recent discoveries about the cornea, the clear part of the eye’s protective covering, are showing that corneal thickness is an important factor in accurately diagnosing eye pressure. In response to these findings, the Glaucoma Research Foundation has put together this brief guide to help you understand how your corneal thickness affects your risk for glaucoma, and what you can do to make sure your diagnosis is accurate.
Corneal Thickness
In 2002, the five-year report of the Ocular Hypertension Study (OHTS) was released. The study’s goal was to determine if early intervention with pressure lowering medications could reduce the number of ocular hypertensive (OHT) patients that develop glaucoma. During the study, a critical discovery was made regarding corneal thickness and its role in intraocular eye pressure and glaucoma development.

Why is Corneal Thickness Important?
Corneal thickness is important because it can mask an accurate reading of eye pressure, causing doctors to treat you for a condition that may not really exist or to treat you unnecessarily when are normal. Actual IOP may be underestimated in patients with thinner CCT, and overestimated in patients with thicker CCT. This may be important to your diagnosis; some people originally diagnosed with normal tension glaucoma may in fact be more accurately treated as having regular glaucoma; others diagnosed with ocular hypertension may be better treated as normal based on accurate CCT measurement. In light of this discovery, it is important to have your eyes checked regularly and to make sure your doctor takes your CCT into account for diagnosis.
A Thin Cornea—The Danger of Misreading Eye Pressure
Many times, patients with thin corneas (less than 555 µm) show artificially low IOP readings. This is dangerous because if your actual IOP is higher than your reading shows, you may be at risk for developing glaucoma and your doctor may not know it. Left untreated, high IOP can lead to glaucoma and vision loss. It is important that your doctor have an accurate IOP reading to diagnose your risk and decide upon a treatment plan.
A Thicker Cornea May Mean Less Reason to Worry About Glaucoma
Those patients with thicker CCT may show a higher reading of IOP than actually exists. This means their eye pressure is lower than thought, a lower IOP means that risk for developing glaucoma is lowered. However, it is still important to have regular eye exams to monitor eye pressure and stay aware of changes.
Pachymetry—A Simple Test to Determine Corneal Thickness
A pachymetry test is a simple, quick, painless test to measure the thickness of your cornea. With this measurement, your doctor can better understand your IOP reading, and develop a treatment plan that is right for your condition. The procedure takes only about a minute to measure both eyes.
Related Articles
What is Glaucoma?
Are You at Risk For Glaucoma?
Anatomy of the Eye
Glaucoma Facts and Stats
The Importance of Corneal Thickness

Diabetes: Our Problem

Type 1 Diabetes
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Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar (glucose), starches and other food into energy needed for daily life.

Finding out you have diabetes is scary. But don't panic. Type 1 diabetes is serious, but people with diabetes can live long, healthy, happy lives.
Conditions & TreatmentArm yourself with information about conditions associated with type 1 diabetes, and how to prevent them. Conditions associated with type 1 diabetes include hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis and celiac disease. You will also find helpful information about insulin, choosing blood glucose meters, various diagnostic tests including the A1c test, managing and checking your blood glucose, kidney and islet transplantations, and tips on what to expect from your health care provider.
Further Reading . . .A Field Guide to Type 1 Diabetes gives checklists of what you need, what to do in different situations, and what kinds of provisions you need.
For more books on healthy living, click here ComplicationsHaving type 1 diabetes increases your risk for many serious complications. Some complications of type 1 diabetes include: heart disease (cardiovascular disease), blindness (retinopathy), nerve damage (neuropathy), and kidney damage (nephropathy). Learn more about these complications and how to cope with them.
Recently DiagnosedYou've just been diagnosed with diabetes. Chances are you have a million questions running through your head. To help you answer those questions, and take the first steps toward better diabetes care, visit the Recently Diagnosed area for people who have just been diagnosed with diabetes, or those needing basic information.
Your Body's Well BeingMake it a priority to take good care of your body. The time you spend now on eye care, foot care and skin care, as well as your heart health and oral health, could delay or prevent the onset of dangerous type 1 diabetes complications later in life. Plus, some of the best things you can do for your body are to stop smoking, and reduce the amount of alcohol you drink.
Common ConcernsThis section addresses various areas to help you live with type 1 diabetes. What do you do when you're sick? What do you do when you travel? Can you get a flu shot with diabetes? How do you cope with having type 1 diabetes? Are you being discriminated against because you have diabetes? You'll find answers to these questions, and more in this section.
Ask the PharmacistThe American Diabetes Association and Rite Aid "Ask the Pharmacist" area is where you can ask a pharmacist a question to help you manage your diabetes. Rite Aid and the ADA have partnered to allow you to access to Rite Aid's Drug Information Center from our Web site.
Women and DiabetesLearn how to ensure your own health and well-being.
Health Information For MenLearn how to ensure your own health and well-being.

Type 2 Diabetes
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Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use sugar. Sugar is the basic fuel for the cells in the body, and insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause two problems:
Right away, your cells may be starved for energy. Over time, high blood glucose levels may hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart. Finding out you have diabetes is scary. But don't panic. Type 2 diabetes is serious, but people with diabetes can live long, healthy, happy lives.
While diabetes occurs in people of all ages and races, some groups have a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes than others. Type 2 diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, as well as the aged population.
Further Reading . . .A Field Guide to Type 2 Diabetes is an excellent book for the patient or family member.
For more books on healthy living, click here Conditions & TreatmentArm yourself with information about conditions associated with type 2 diabetes, and how to prevent them. Conditions associated with type 2 diabetes include hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. You will also find helpful information about insulin, oral medications, various diagnostic tests including the A1c test, managing and checking your blood glucose, and tips on what to expect from your health care provider.
ComplicationsHaving type 2 diabetes increases your risk for many serious complications. Some complications of type 2 diabetes include: heart disease (cardiovascular disease), blindness (retinopathy), nerve damage (neuropathy), and kidney damage (nephropathy). Learn more about these complications and how to cope with them.
Diabetes Learning Center for the Recently DiagnosedYou've just been diagnosed with diabetes. Chances are you have a million questions running through your head. To help you answer those questions, and take the first steps toward better diabetes care, visit the Diabetes Learning Center -- an area for people who are newly diagnosed with diabetes, or those needing basic information.
Your Body's Well BeingMake it a priority to take good care of your body. The time you spend now on eye care, foot care and skin care, as well as your heart health and oral health, could delay or prevent the onset of dangerous type 2 diabetes complications later in life. Plus, some of the best things you can do for your body are to stop smoking, and reduce the amount of alcohol you drink.
Common ConcernsThis section addresses various areas to help you live with type 2 diabetes. What do you do when you're sick? What do you do when you travel? Can you get a flu shot with diabetes? How do you cope with having type 2 diabetes? Are you being discriminated against because you have diabetes? You'll find answers to these questions, and more in this section.
Ask the PharmacistThe American Diabetes Association and Rite Aid "Ask the Pharmacist" area is where you can ask a pharmacist a question to help you manage your diabetes. Rite Aid and the ADA have partnered to allow you to access to Rite Aid's Drug Information Center from our Web site.
Women and DiabetesLearn how to ensure your own health and well-being.
Health Information For MenLearn how to ensure your own health and well-being.

How to Prevent Pre-Diabetes
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Pre-diabetes is a serious medical condition that can be treated. The good news is that the recently completed Diabetes Prevention Program study conclusively showed that people with pre-diabetes can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by making changes in their diet and increasing their level of physical activity. They may even be able to return their blood glucose levels to the normal range.
While the DPP also showed that some medications may delay the development of diabetes, diet and exercise worked better. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a 5-10% reduction in body weight, produced a 58% reduction in diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association is developing materials that will help people understand their risks for pre-diabetes and what they can do to halt the progression to diabetes and even to, "turn back the clock" In the meantime, ADA has a wealth of resources for people with diabetes or at risk for diabetes that can be of use to people interested in pre-diabetes.
Nutrition
Making Healthy Food Choices
ADA's statement for health professionals on nutrition
The American Diabetes Association bookstore has award-winning books on nutrition, recipes, weight loss, meal planning and more.
Exercise
Tips on how to include a healthy amount of physical activity into your daily routine:
Exercise and Diabetes
ADA's statement for health professionals on exercise
You can get fit, reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes, and support the American Diabetes Association by participating in America's Walk for Diabetes.
Tools
Small Steps. Big Rewards. Prevent type 2 diabetes.The National Diabetes Education Program has designed a national awareness campaign to target people at risk for type 2 diabetes. The campaign will create awareness that type 2 diabetes can be prevented through modest lifestyle changes and losing about 5 to 7 percent of body weight.

Face Lift


Short Scar Face Lift
Short scar face lift, also known as minimal access cranial suspension lift (MACS), is a great alternative for people who want the benefits of a traditional face lift but with less recovery time and scarring. Short scar face lift is a very popular procedure at our St. Louis-area office.
The procedure addresses the areas of the face that show the most visible signs of age. Unlike traditional face lift where an incision is made along the length of the hairline and around the ear, during short scar face lift a short incision is made in front of the ear and along the hairline. The skin is then separated from the muscle and fat, the muscles are tightened and the skin is pulled back. Short scar face lift is becoming an increasingly popular option for our St. Louis-area patients.
This procedure can be performed under local or general anesthesia and can be performed in conjunction with other procedures to improve results. During a consultation, Dr. Jeffrey Copeland will discuss all of the potential risks and benefits of the procedure.
If you are interested in short scar face lift, contact our cosmetic surgery office in St. Peters today.

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