Glaucoma and cataracts are two of the leading causes of vision loss in Canada, and they share one dangerous trait. They rarely warn you they're there. No itch. No sting. No blur until damage is already done. By age 65,
1 in 3 BC seniors is affected by a vision-threatening eye condition, and most feel nothing at all in the early stages.
Optometrists are primary healthcare providers trained to detect, diagnose and monitor serious eye disease. A routine eye exam can catch these conditions years before you'd notice a symptom, when there's still time to protect what you can see.
Don't wait for a sign. See your optometrist.
What Are Glaucoma and Cataracts?
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, usually caused by fluid pressure building up inside the eye. It slowly steals peripheral vision first, which is why most people don't notice it until significant sight is already gone. It cannot be reversed. It can only be caught and managed.
Cataracts are a clouding of the natural lens inside your eye, most often related to age and UV exposure. In BC's high-intensity summer sun, that exposure adds up over a lifetime. Cataracts develop slowly, so the change often feels normal until colours start to dull, glare gets worse and driving at night becomes a problem.
Both are common. Both are manageable when caught early. Both are found through a comprehensive eye exam, not your mirror.
Why See Your Optometrist?
Optometrists are doctors for your eyes. They detect the diseases your eyes won't warn you about, and they build the plan that protects your sight for the long haul. A comprehensive eye exam measures the pressure inside your eye, examines the optic nerve and the lens, and catches the changes that would otherwise go completely unnoticed until it's too late to reverse them. You've spent a lifetime taking in BC. An exam is how you keep it in focus.
An eye exam is the only way to catch what your eyes won't tell you. Glaucoma and cataracts are both manageable when they're found early. Don't wait for a symptom that may never come.
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