A bright future is meaningless to a country that is slowly being swallowed by a silent darkness. This irreversible darkness is plaguing many Filipinos today as glaucoma becomes more and more prevalent in the country.

Glaucoma, a blindness that is a permanent paralysis, is taken much too lightly. It is the country’s leading cause of bilateral irreversible blindness, according to the Philippine National Survey of blindness.

It slowly and gradually impairs vision. Like the dreaded disease, cancer, it has no cure and it commonly shows no signs in the early stages nor painful symptoms.

Moreover, a small number of patients with glaucoma also experience episodes of eye pain, blurred vision, redness, headache, vomiting, and seeing rainbows around lights. The disease permanently damages the optic nerve, which is what connects the eye to the brain, and causes a shrinking of the visual field.

There is no single diagnostic test for glaucoma. Early detection and treatment of glaucoma is important to control it. Once diagnosed, the unlucky patient must follow-up with their physicians for the rest of their lives.

Glaucoma is not picky. It can afflict a person regardless of age, health, or race. Glaucoma can occur at any age, but the most commonly affected are the older individuals.

Patients who are most likely to contract glaucoma usually have family history of the disease, high eye pressure, a previous eye injury, chronic steroid use and/or diabetes mellitus.

Early detection prevents blindness

It is often stated in medicine that prevention is better than cure. In the case of glaucoma, contracting the hereditary form of the disease may not be preventable but early diagnosis and treatment can certainly help prevent blindness.

Philippine Glaucoma Society along with Allergan brings scientific excellence and rigor in delivering leading products that address glaucoma. Allergan goes beyond providing education and information. With the highest level of integrity, Allergan helps patients understand the choices available to them and make well-informed treatment decisions with their doctors.

Allergan is a global, technology-driven multi-specialty health care company pursuing therapeutic advances to help patients live life to their fullest potential while the Philippine Glaucoma Society is an internationally-recognized leader in providing excellent glaucoma care in the Philippines through education, exchange of ideas, research and publication.

The Philippine Glaucoma Society also strives eradicate glaucoma by increasing awareness of the disease in the community, healthcare system, policy-making bodies, and among patients afflicted with the disease. The Society also aims to educate the community, provide improved service for indigent patients, and initiate research on glaucoma.

Glaucoma can be prevented by having regular eye check-ups. Immediately consult your eye doctor/ophthalmologist if you have blurry vision or if you have eye pain. There is hope. There can be a bright future. If we do it right, we can escape the darkness.