Glaucoma

Causes & Prevention

Preventing Glaucoma

Regular eye examinations for everyone is the best preventative measure, and strict adherence to a treatment protocol if you have the disease is the best way to prevent further loss of vision.

However, there has been some promising research in glaucoma prevention:

Risk Factors for the Various Types of Glaucoma

Risk factors for glaucoma depend which type of disease is being considered.

Open-angle glaucoma:

  • Age 40 and older for African Americans*
  • Everyone over age 60, especially Mexican Americans*

What Does It Mean When Medical Experts Say "Race" Is A Risk Factor For Certain Diseases?

Editor's Note:

"Race" is sometimes mentioned as a risk factor in the development of certain cancers and a number of other diseases. When you read this in a discussion about an illness, note that the explanation seldom refers to anything biological. Instead, it usually refers to behavior, such as eating habits. The kinds of behavior usually mentioned as risk factors are culturally determined. They are not genetic or biological.