The blinding danger of glaucoma

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - An eye disease that can rob your sight is all too common.  More than three million Americans live with glaucoma. 

Given the rate of our aging population, that number could double by the year 2010.

Vickie Pinson is now understanding the importance of regular eye exams.  "So, in three years you nearly went blind?  Yes, I did."

Vickie is one of the millions of Americans living with glaucoma, a vision robbing disease that Ophthalmologist Ronald Warwar says can be avoided with regular eye exams.

"Glaucoma is pretty sneaky.  People can have it for years with no pain.  It has a very slow progression.  You can lose a lot of vision before anything is wrong," said Dr. Warwar.

Pinson, 57, is now legally blind in her right eye.  Glaucoma also robbed Daniel Coy's vision in one eye.  He had not had a regular eye exam in many years.

"It kept getting worse and worse.  I couldn't read without reading glasses and it bothered me to be out in bright lights," said Coy, 62.

Less than half of adult Americans are getting dilated eye exams which is the most effective way to detect glaucoma.

"The way we diagnose glaucoma is measuring the eye pressure, examining the back of the eye to look at and testing peripheral vision," said Dr. Warwar.

Unfortunately, Vickie and Daniel are part of the American population that has been blinded by the disease that accounts for more than seven million doctor visits each year.