Allora interviewed Mara Giribaldi, Orthoptist, Associate Lecturer and External Liaison Officer for Discipline of Orthoptics at the University of Technology, Sydney. Mara poses questions about Glaucoma and shares information about the upcoming awareness week launched by Glaucoma Australia.
Have you got Glaucoma?
How precious is your eyesight? Can you imagine if you were told that you were losing sight without knowing it? Can you imagine if you were one of the 2 in 100 that had it in your lifetime? Do you know if any of your relatives suffer from it? This makes you 10 times more likely to develop it yourself. What if you are one of the 50% of people that have it but don’t know it?
Glaucoma. It is known as the ‘silent thief of sight’ so then, would you not want to know if you have Glaucoma? Glaucoma causes irreversible vision loss due to damage to the optic nerve.
It can develop slowly and often without symptoms leaving people undetected. Leaving Glaucoma untreated can then gradually lead to irreversible vision loss and even blindness due to damage caused to the optic nerve. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Glaucoma and vision loss is irreversible.
A considerable amount of side vision (peripheral vision) can be lost before there is awareness of any problem, so early detection is vital and allows the appropriate treatments available to aim to preserve your sight.
What causes vision loss in Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is usually caused by an increase of pressure within the eye (intraocular pressure IOP) or due to problems with the drainage of fluid within the eyeball. Both reasons can elevate the intraocular pressure and cause progressive damage to the optic nerve if not treated appropriately. There are several types of Glaucoma, so of course appropriate assessments by either an Ophthalmologist or Optometrist can determine if Glaucoma is detected.
Find out more about glaucoma from Glaucoma Australia (GA) via the many resources on their website www.glaucoma.org.au or speak to your GP or eye care professional.
You can even find glaucoma information pamphlets in Italian by simply scanning this QR code.
Glaucoma Australia has launched a new fundraising initiative, 7 Sights in 7 Days Challenge, encouraging Australians to share a photo of an amazing sight every day for seven days to raise funds to help end glaucoma blindness this World Glaucoma Week (6–12 March 2022).
The 7 Sights in 7 Days Challenge, part of Glaucoma Australia’s annual Treat Your Eyes campaign, is asking Australians to capture everyday moments to remind them sight is precious while raising much-needed funds for early detection programs and critical support services.
The campaign will encourage Australians to place high value on their sight and be proactive with regular eye exams. Judging the entries for the 7 Sights in 7 Days Challenge will be photographer Liz Hemmings, The Forensic Nutritionist Fiona Tuck, Managing Director of Mivision magazine Todd Tai and CEO Glaucoma Australia Annie Gibbins.
Individuals and teams will be prompted to find, snap and share seven ‘sights’ during World Glaucoma Week, with daily themes such as ‘quirky’, ‘scenic’ and ‘culture’ to inspire their creativity. The challenge is designed to encourage people to get out and about, explore the visual beauty of their local area and raise money for an important cause.
Glaucoma Australia CEO Annie Gibbins says, “Anyone can develop glaucoma and the risk increases with age. About 1 in 10,000 babies are born with glaucoma; by age 40 about 1 in 200 have glaucoma, rising to 1 in 8 at age 80. he inaugural 7 Sights in 7 Days Challenge is amplifying that sight-saving message by asking the community to get creative and fundraise so that we can take glaucoma out of the picture.”
By raising awareness, Glaucoma Australia is helping people with glaucoma get detected early and adhere to their treatment management plan to prevent irreversible sight loss and improve their quality of life.
To find out how to register for the 7 Sights in 7 Days Challenge or to sponsor someone who is snapping, visit: sevensights.org.au.
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