If you would like to appreciate for yourself the impact that Glaucoma can have on your vision then there is now a clever App that can simulate the progressive visual loss that can be caused by Glaucoma.
Glaucoma affects around 2% of the white Caucasian population in Scotland with approx 80,000 people living with the condition.
In an attempt to increase awareness of the disease MSD UK, Moorfields Eye Hospital and the International Glaucoma Association (IGA) have developed a free app with 3 elements to it.
The app uses the photo facility on the phone / tablet to simulate how the photo could look if you had glaucoma. You can adjust the slider at the bottom of the photo to simulate different severities of glaucoma. There are also imformation slides looking at the anatomy of the eye and explaining the disease process.
To download the app look for Glaucoma SIM or go to www.glaucomasim.co.uk for more information.
While Glaucoma can not be cured their are many treatment options available to prevent the development or progression of visual loss. The Early stages of disease are commonly symptomless so regular eye examinations for all are key. There is a higher incidence of glaucoma in those over 40 years old, with a close family history of Glaucoma, and in asian and afro carribean populations.
The OCT scanner that we have had in the practice for a number of years is proving to be one of the most effective ways available to detect the subtle , early eye changes of Glaucoma.
