Keep eye out for silent sight thief

Specsavers in Stirling is highlighting world glaucoma week (March 11-17), amidst research which shows 990 people in the area are believed to be living with the eye condition.

Often referred to as the silent thief of sight due to its gradual onset, glaucoma is the third largest cause of blindness in the world.

It can affect anyone, however, research shows that men are 16 per cent more likely to lose their sight than women with the condition because they do not generally seek medical help as quickly as women.

Specsavers in Stirling is stressing the importance of having regular eye tests to detect the early signs and symptoms.

Glaucoma occurs when naturally-occurring fluid inside the eye does not drain properly causing a build-up of pressure. The condition often affects both eyes, usually to varying degrees, however, there are two types - chronic glaucoma which develops slowly and acute glaucoma which develops rapidly with a sudden, painful build-up of pressure in the eye.

Store director Julie Pritchard said: “With chronic glaucoma, the visual loss can initially be very subtle and occurs just beyond your central vision, progressing slowly inwards towards your central vision and outwards into the periphery. However, acute glaucoma is often sudden and painful and may present with other symptoms including blurred vision and haloes around lights.’’

“The good news is glaucoma can generally be treated effectively if detected early and in most cases, a daily eye drop can be used for treatment.”