In-Home Care Advice: Senior Vision Loss Facts for National Glaucoma Awareness Month

Senior In-Home Care  |  January 28, 2018

What Every Senior and Family in Vancouver, BC, Needs to Know About Glaucoma

Glaucoma is painless, yet it is a serious disease often found in seniors and is a leading cause of blindness. The disease can damage the optic nerve, which enables vision by connecting your brain to your eye. Find out what in-home care specialists have to say about the risk factors, symptoms, causes, and treatments for glaucoma.

Glaucoma Risk Factors

The high pressure of the eye is the leading risk factor for developing glaucoma. Previous eye issues such as injury, age-related problems, nearsightedness, or thin corneas are risk factors. Those with a family history of glaucoma or a history of anemia, shock, or steroid use are at risk.

Symptoms of Glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma is the most common out of the five different types of glaucoma. There are no symptoms besides a gradual decline of vision, so the elderly must have their vision changes monitored yearly by the ophthalmologist.

One of the serious types is called narrow-angle glaucoma, which is a medical emergency. Symptoms can include sickness, vomiting, nausea, blurred vision, irritated red eyes, severe eye pain, and seeing halos around lights. Elderly people experiencing these symptoms should alert their in-home care provider or family member and visit a doctor immediately.

Causes of Glaucoma

When the fluid inside the eye does not drain properly, glaucoma can develop. The excess fluid causes an increase in pressure within the eye. This pressure can hinder the optic nerve and can cause vision loss or in more severe cases blindness. Individuals who have normal eye pressure but have poor blood flow to their optic nerve can also be at risk for glaucoma.

Glaucoma Treatments

Among the many ways a doctor can treat glaucoma, the most common would be eye drops. These work by reducing the formation of eye fluid, and allowing better outflow. Those receiving glaucoma eye drop treatment may experience side effects such as irritable, red, or stinging eyes. Seniors should alert their doctors about any allergies they have to medicine, and they can be prescribed an oral medication should the eye drops not work.

Another valid option for glaucoma treatment is laser surgery. Seniors with open-angle glaucoma may benefit from laser surgery with increased fluid outflow, while those with angle-closure glaucoma may have reduced fluid blockage of the eye. Laser surgeries for glaucoma include iridotomy, cyclophotocoagulation, and trabeculoplasty.

Glaucoma and eye health can also be improved at home through lifestyle changes. A healthy diet including leafy greens and omega-3 fatty acids, regular exercise, and sleeping with the head elevated are all recommended by in-home care specialists.

Glaucoma is not preventable, but it can be controlled if the diagnosis and treatment are early enough. Yearly visits to the ophthalmologist are essential for elderly eye health, seniors can reduce the likelihood of blindness and live a higher quality of life as they age.

The Best Senior Home Care Provider in Vancouver, BC, is Comfort Keepers®

Many families prefer Comfort Keepers® when arranging senior home care services for a loved one in or around Vancouver, British Columbia. 

If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones, we can help with 24-hour care. Comfort Keepers Vancouver also provides home care services like respite care, overnight care, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care, personal care, and more! 

Comfort Keepers® Vancouver Can Help with Companion Care and Interactive Caregiving™

Personal and empathetic care starts in the heart and allows us to meet our clients’ needs. Comfort Keeper’s philosophy is to elevate the human spirit, and our caregivers ensure your loved one experiences a better quality of life.

Trained caregivers help provide our senior clients with personal home care to help maintain the highest possible quality of life, keeping them happy and healthy at home. Our Interactive Caregiving™ delivers a system of care that addresses safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs).

Bring The Best Home Care Assistance for Seniors Right Where You Live with Comfort Keepers®

Comfort Keepers® Vancouver is proud to provide elder care in homes throughout Vancouver, keeping seniors safe in their homes. We provide home care for the seniors of Vancouver and the surrounding areas of Burnaby, Langley, Maple Ridge, and Richmond. Please call (604) 689-8609. 

Personal Care and Senior Homecare in Vancouver, BC

Learn more about our unique service, which offers personal care, companionship care, palliative care, and end-of-life care by contacting the Comfort Keepers® Vancouver office.

Accredited and Quality Respite Care Available 24/7 for British Columbia Families

Accreditation Canada has awarded Comfort Keepers® Vancouver with Exemplary Standing. This designation is only achieved after an organization’s policies, procedures, and processes undergo a thorough evaluation by industry experts to ensure they meet or exceed the stringent quality standards set by Accreditation Canada for Home Care companies.

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