Early Glaucoma Detection Key to Preventing Blindness
Author: Dr. Mark Lynn & Associates PLLC
Published: 2011/01/04 - Updated: 2026/02/16
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Glaucoma - Related Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This information highlights the critical importance of early glaucoma detection, drawing on guidance from Dr. Mark Lynn, an optometrist overseeing multiple vision care locations across Kentucky and Indiana. The article notes that glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness both in the United States and globally, and that roughly half of Americans living with the disease are unaware they have it until significant vision loss has already occurred. Because glaucoma causes irreversible damage to the optic nerve, early diagnosis through routine eye exams is the most effective way to slow progression and preserve sight. This is especially relevant for seniors, people with disabilities affecting vision, African Americans, Hispanics, and anyone over age 60 - all of whom face elevated risk and stand to benefit most from annual screening - Disabled World (DW).
- Definition: Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by progressive damage to the optic nerve, the bundle of nerve fibers that transmits visual information from the eye to the brain. In most cases, this damage is associated with elevated intraocular pressure - the fluid pressure inside the eye - though glaucoma can also develop at normal pressure levels. The disease typically advances slowly and without noticeable symptoms in its early stages, which is why it is often called "the silent thief of sight." Open-angle glaucoma, the most common form, gradually reduces peripheral vision before affecting central sight, while angle-closure glaucoma can produce sudden symptoms including eye pain, nausea, and rapid vision loss. There is currently no cure, and any vision already lost to the disease cannot be restored, but early detection through regular eye examinations allows for treatments - ranging from prescription eye drops to surgical intervention - that can significantly slow or halt further deterioration.
Introduction
Early Glaucoma Detection Vital to Preventing Blindness
It happens slowly. Over time, a person's vision will get worse. Until one day, that person can no longer see. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States and worldwide. Unfortunately, there is no cure. Once a person's vision is lost, it cannot be regained. That is why Dr. Bizer's VisionWorld is encouraging people to get an examination during Glaucoma Awareness Month.
"We cannot reverse the effects of this serious disease, but we can help prevent it," said Dr. Mark Lynn, an optometrist who owns and oversees 15 Dr. Bizer's VisionWorld locations across Kentucky and Indiana. "People suffering from glaucoma will slowly lose their vision, and over time, they will go blind. But just a quick trip to the eye doctor can preserve a person's vision for years to come."
Main Content
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve which carries images from the eye to the brain. Glaucoma is prevalent among middle-aged Americans and the elderly, though it can affect people of all ages, even infants.
"Approximately half of all Americans living with glaucoma do not know they have the disease until it is too late," Lynn said. "That means about 2 million people are slowly going blind without knowing it."
Those at high-risk of developing glaucoma are: African-Americans, Hispanics, people over the age of 60 and immediate family members of those suffering from the disease. People who are at high-risk should undergo annual, comprehensive eye exams during which a doctor carefully evaluates the optic nerve and measures eye pressure.
Although glaucoma cannot be cured, it can be treated. To help prevent further vision loss, glaucoma can be treated with eye drops, pills, surgery or a laser procedure.
About Dr. Mark Lynn and Associates PLLC
Dr. Mark Lynn & Associates PLLC, or Mark Lynn O.D. & Associates PC, owns and/or operates more than 45 Dr. Bizer's VisionWorld, Doctor's VisionWorks and Doctor's ValuVision offices in Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee and Indiana. Offering high-quality designer and exclusive brand frames, lenses, contact lenses, accessories, sunglasses and the leading technology in vision correction at competitive prices. In addition, nearly all our stores provide one-hour service on most prescriptions by utilizing on-site processing laboratories.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: What makes glaucoma particularly dangerous is not its severity alone but its silence - the disease progresses so gradually that millions of people lose meaningful vision before they ever suspect a problem. The fact that roughly half of those affected in the United States remain undiagnosed underscores a serious gap between available screening tools and public awareness. For older adults, people already living with partial vision loss, and communities with higher genetic risk factors, a routine eye exam is not a minor appointment but a frontline defense against preventable blindness. Treatment options including eye drops, medication, laser procedures, and surgery can slow or halt further damage, but only if the disease is caught in time - making awareness campaigns like Glaucoma Awareness Month not just helpful reminders but genuinely urgent public health efforts - Disabled World (DW).Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Dr. Mark Lynn & Associates PLLC and published on 2011/01/04, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.