January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness, and more than 3 million people in the United States have it. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Experts estimate that half of them don’t know that they have it. Did you know that 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing? This is why it is important to have regular eye exams!

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that gradually steal sight without warning. Vision loss is caused by damage to the optic nerve. This nerve acts like an electric cable with over a million wires. This nerve is responsible for carrying images from the eye to the brain. There is no cure for glaucoma. Medication and surgery can slow down or prevent further vision loss. Click here to take a quiz to test your Glaucoma Eye-Q provided by the Glaucoma Research Foundation.

What to do before your appointment

Doctor’s visits can sometimes be overwhelming, so we recommend you do the following before your appointment: Make sure you keep a list of symptoms. (Examples: redness, irritation, itching, tearing, or decreased vision.); bring a list of your medications with dosage and how often you take that med; and bring written questions you have for your doctor. It is easy to forget the questions you have when sitting face to face with your doctor, so it is best to write questions down before arriving to your appointment.

Call our office at 260-483-2305 to see if your eye doctor is covered under your current plan. Visit our Product page to get a quote on adding dental, vision, and hearing. Dental, Vision, and Hearing (DVH) insurance are all ancillary policies that can be purchased in addition to your Medicare or Major Medical policies.

Some companies offer plans that combine both Dental and Vision, or all three into one single policy. Other companies allow you to purchase each one individually. DVH policies typically include a deductible, policy year maximum benefit, as well as a waiting period on non-preventative benefits.

Some policies contain networks where you can obtain a bigger discount. Many policies base payment off of usual and customary charges while others pay a flat rate.