When Glaucoma Develops Quietly: Why Regular Eye Checks Can Protect Your Vision

Kelly Waterworth
Mar 14
2 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

Glaucoma often develops quietly, without noticeable symptoms in its early stages. A recent patient experience at Panoptic Vision highlights why regular eye examinations play an important role in protecting long-term vision.

Written by Kelly Waterworth, Optometrist at Panoptic Vision Bellingen

Did you know that optometrists with a therapeutic endorsement (like me!) can diagnose glaucoma and initiate treatment with glaucoma eye drops?

Assessments for Glaucoma

A few weeks ago, a gentleman saw me for an eye test. He was not old, mid-sixties. He hadn’t had an eye exam for about 20 years. He had no particular complaints. The main reason for his visit: his wife kept nagging him to have an eye test and he eventually listened.

What a shock for both of us when I discovered that he had advanced glaucoma in one eye, and the other eye was heading the same way. The common symptom of glaucoma, typically a slow loss of the peripheral vision, can often be masked by the ‘good eye’ as the disease tends to happen at a different rate in each eye. If left unmanaged, this can lead to total vision loss.

In most cases, this vision loss is entirely preventable with early detection and management (usually in the form of a specific eye drop, and without the need for invasive surgery). Sadly, once the damage is done, it is irreversible.

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Regular eye checks | Panoptic Vision | Lake Cathie | Bellingen

With regular eye checks, this sort of tragedy can be avoided. This lovely gentleman learnt two important lessons: Annual eye tests can save vision… and sometimes nagging is worth it!

Learn about World Glaucoma Week

👁️ Book your appointment online now with Panoptic Vision Lake Cathie:

https://www.myhealth1st.com.au/appointmentWidget/makatea?practice_id=9301

👁️ Book your appointment online now with Panoptic Vision Bellingen:

https://www.myhealth1st.com.au/appointmentWidget/makatea?practice_id=9310