Glaucoma is a complex eye disease that affects millions of people around the world—unfortunately, as our parents get older, glaucoma awareness becomes an important topic to discuss. Whilst it can be challenging to understand and manage at first, your parent’s health can be monitored and managed effectively with the proper knowledge and support. To get the conversation started, here are five key things to know about glaucoma that can help you and your parents better understand the condition. Glaucoma has no early warning signs.

1. Symptoms Can Be Subtle.

or symptoms. That’s why regular eye exams are so important—your eye care practitioner can detect any changes in vision or pressure that

2. Risk Factors Include Age & Family History

are more likely to develop glaucoma due to age-related changes in their eyes. Consider, too those with a family history of glaucoma or other eye diseases, along with diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease. Unfortunately, this group may also be at higher risk for

3. Treatment Options Vary.

monitoring and assessment-based treatments are available to help manage the condition and slow its progression. Options include medication (eye drops), laser treatments and surgery. However, a critical aspect in all of this is ‘Lifestyle!’ Lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables assist

4. Regular Follow-Up Appointments Are Vital.

up appointments are vital for effective glaucoma management. A thorough eye care practitioner/optometrist will assess your eye health as part of a routine, comprehensive eye test consultation. They can then direct you to specialists for further support or suggest a short-term review. Most glaucoma patients require their condition to be reviewed once every three to six months. Regular follow-up is suggested as ‘best practice’ because the intra-ocular pressure of the eyes is a beneficial

5. Early Detection Is Key.

detection is key for the successful treatment of glaucoma since damage caused by this progressive disease is irreversible once it occurs–that’s why regular check-ups are so important! In the optical industry, we often talk of glaucoma as “the silent thief.” A disease that systematically causes blindness as the eye’s optic nerve deteriorates. If you’re concerned about anyone you love having an increased risk of developing this disease, we encourage you to ask them about making

What Should YOU Do Now?

single most beneficial thing you can do for your parents right now is to start a conversation. Are your parents familiar with the risk of glaucoma? Have they had a discussion already with their GP or optometrist? How long ago was that? Consider reviewing lifestyle factors and any vision issues they may curretntly experience and encourage them to be proactive about making changes and visiting with a qualified optometrist. Unfortunately, the ‘silent thief,’ glaucoma, doesn’t announce itself. And you can’t rely on physical discomfort or pain as an indicator and once vision loss deteriorates, glaucoma is already prevalent. Therefore, consider organising a routine of regular visits to an optometrist—once a year is a perfect starting point! It’s never too early to look ahead, concerning your eye health. At Optical Superstore, we are passionate about eye health. We offer a thorough and systematic consultation service by providing testing rooms where optometrists operate independently, onsite. Eye tests are readily available in over 60 locations, Australia-wide and are bulk-billed to Medicare. Why not have a chat with your mum or dad today? You can jump online right now and book a comprehensive eye test at