Steps to help you protect your vision
When improving your health and wellness, it’s essential
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | APRIL 15-21, 2022 26
to take care of your eyes too. For African
Americans, this is especially important because of
increased risk factors for eye disease and vision loss.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology,
glaucoma - a disease that damages the optic nerve and causes
vision loss - is three times more likely to occur in African
Americans. The risks of glaucoma are magnified further
when you consider that the disease strikes, on average, 10
years earlier and progresses faster among African Americans,
according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation.
The good news is that with early detection and treatments,
including a wide range of eye drop medications, laser
treatments and several types of incisional surgery, the majority
of patients with glaucoma maintain their vision. By
becoming aware of your risk factors and taking preventive
steps, you can help protect your eyes.
Finding answers in your genes
While the risk factors for eye disease continue to be studied,
the ophthalmology community believes genetics can
play a role.
“Aside from the access to care challenges that confront
members of minority populations, African Americans have
a range of genetic predispositions that make them more susceptible
to eye diseases such as glaucoma,” says Dr. Eydie
Miller-Ellis, professor of clinical ophthalmology and director
of the Glaucoma Service at the Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman
School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
“This includes an increased risk of high blood pressure,
diabetes and other serious medical conditions that can also
contribute to poor eye health.”
Don’t dismiss a lack of symptoms
Since glaucoma often develops without symptoms and
you can lose vision without noticing it, Miller-Ellis stresses
that early action is vital for African Americans to help prevent
glaucoma and other eye diseases.
“The increased risk of early onset glaucoma makes it critical
for African Americans to take steps to protect their eye
health at a young age,” says Miller-Ellis. “Many people are
lulled into a sense of complacency when it comes to their vision
because they believe they see fine. But a lot of asymptomatic
disorders like glaucoma can be damaging your eyesight
without you realizing it.”
Schedule an eye exam
Understanding that you are at greater risk for eye disease
and vision loss is the starting point toward protecting your
eyesight. Begin a routine of yearly dilated eye exams with
an ophthalmologist so that vision problems can be detected
early. The Glaucoma Research Foundation recommends
African Americans get a comprehensive exam to check for
glaucoma starting at age 35.
No vision plan? No worries
Don’t let the lack of a vision plan hold you back from
scheduling a screening for glaucoma. Medical eye exams and
treatments for eye diseases, including glaucoma, are typically
covered by regular health insurance. Check with your
healthcare provider for specifics on your level of coverage.
In addition, EyeCare America offers medical eye exams with
volunteer ophthalmologists across the U.S., often for free.
Know your family history
Some eye diseases, such as glaucoma, can be hereditary.
And for African Americans, the risk of glaucoma is 20%
higher if it’s already in your family.
“To prioritize healthy vision, it’s important to have a complete
understanding of your family’s history of eye disease,”
says Dr. Mildred M.G. Olivier, founding regional dean at the
School of Medicine, Ponce Health Sciences University, St.
Louis campus. “That’s why I encourage African American
families to not only discuss their individual history of eye
disease, but also ensure that everyone in the family goes for
an annual eye exam.”
Empower yourself
Olivier also encourages people to be their own advocates
in breaking down the health inequity barriers for minorities
that may stand in the way of better eye health.
“It’s important to ask your primary care physician to
refer you to an ophthalmologist for an annual medical eye
exam,” says Olivier. “When you are at the eye doctor’s office,
make sure you are getting all the information you need and
understand all of your options concerning your eyesight and
any problems that arise.”
Olivier and Miller-Ellis are working to improve access
to eye care among minority populations as leaders of the
Rabb-Venable Excellence in Ophthalmology Program, which
supports minority medical students, residents and fellows
in ophthalmology. The Rabb-Venable program is part of the
National Medical Association - Ophthalmology Section and
supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Eye
Institute.
The Glaucoma Research Foundation offers resources for
African Americans to help build a plan for better eye health,
including the guide “Understanding and Living with Glaucoma.”
This free booklet, supported by Aerie Pharmaceuticals,
is available at www.glaucoma.org/booklet.
— Courtesy of BPT
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