What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is an eye disease that affects more than 250,000 people living in Canada, and is the leading cause of blindness in the country. The eye disease is caused by damage to the optic nerve, which is the nerve that sends visual information to the brain. Over time, and if not treated early, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss.
The importance of screening
Glaucoma is a tricky disease. It is known as the “silent thief of sight” because you may not be aware you have glaucoma for a long time. There are no symptoms, and your vision will appear normal until it is eventually lost. While there is still no cure for glaucoma, there is an important step you can take to manage the disease’s progression - screening.
“The best prevention of glaucoma is early detection. The sooner people can see their eye care professional for an examination, the better,” says Dr. Matthew B. Schlenker, Glaucoma & Advanced Anterior Segment Specialist at the Kensington Eye Institute. “It’s important to visit your eye care professional routinely to catch the disease early. Don’t wait until you start noticing vision impairment, because that may be too late.
Factors that can increase the risk of glaucoma include:
• A family history of glaucoma
• Age: people over the age of 40 are at a higher risk of glaucoma
• Physical injuries to the eye
Serving the community
“Kensington has become a hub for people, from Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area, and even farther, with glaucoma and cataract surgery needs,” says Dr. Schlenker. “We are set up to serve the community collaboratively as we encompass primary and sub-specialty eye care and surgery under the same roof.”
Dr. Schlenker is one of the surgeons at Kensington Eye Institute that specializes in glaucoma, anterior segment and cataract surgery.
“To me, vision is one of the most important sensory tools that we have. I knew many people in my younger days who lost their vision and I witnessed how this effected their daily life. It inspired me to help others and become a specialist in this field,” says Dr. Schlenker.