[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2014\/03\/glaucoma-risk-factors\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2014\/03\/glaucoma-risk-factors\/","headline":"6 Glaucoma Risk Factors to Know","name":"6 Glaucoma Risk Factors to Know","description":"Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness today. Learn more about glaucoma, its risk factors, symptoms, and treatment options.","datePublished":"2014-03-09","dateModified":"2023-07-17","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/ophthalmology-regions","name":"UPMC Vision Institute","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/ophthalmology-regions","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc-vision-institute\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/older-couple-with-glasses.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/older-couple-with-glasses.png","height":527,"width":791},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2014\/03\/glaucoma-risk-factors\/","about":["Eye Health"],"wordCount":305,"keywords":["blindness","eye exam","glaucoma","Glaucoma Research Foundation","Joel S Schuman MD","Kimberly Miller MD","ocular pressure","video","World Glaucoma Week"],"articleBody":"Known as the silent thief of sight — glaucoma — a chronic, progressive disease that leads to damage of the optic nerve, is the second-leading cause of blindness in the world.According to the\u00a0Glaucoma Research Foundation, more than 2.2 million Americans are affected, but only half of those know they have it. While it\u00a0is typically a disease that affects older adults, anyone — including children — can be affected.\u201cFor most people, it\u2019s really written in their genes,\u201d Dr. Ian Conner, MD, UPMC Vision Institute, tells WPXI. \u201cThere are a variety of types of glaucoma, but, for the most part, people are predisposed to develop glaucoma because of the genes they carry. They often have a family history that they know of. There are also less common types of glaucoma caused by things like injuries.\u201dEarly diagnosis is the most important factor in preventing vision loss.\u00a0By diagnosing\u00a0early, eye doctors are able to tailor the treatments and help slow progression of the disease.\u201cGlaucoma usually does not have any symptoms for the patient, therefore it has to be diagnosed at the time of a routine eye exam,\u201d says Dr. Conner. \u201cThese are often conducted in order to update a pair of glasses, or just as a routine annual exam.\u201dHaving regular eye exams is an important part of maintaining good eye health. During your eye exams, the doctor will discuss risk factors including:AgeFamily historyMedical conditionsEthnicityProlonged use of certain medicationsElevated ocular pressureIf you are diagnosed with glaucoma there are a number of different treatment options available ranging from eye drops to medication to surgery.\u00a0To find out if you\u2019re at risk, call 412-647-2200 to schedule an appointment with one of our eye doctors.Editor's Note: This article was originally published on March 9, 2014, and was last reviewed on October 3, 2022."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2014","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2014\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"03","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2014\/\/03\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"6 Glaucoma Risk Factors to Know","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2014\/03\/glaucoma-risk-factors\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]