Glaucoma may be incurable, but you can save your vision if you catch it early enough.

Regular check-ups from age 40 and consultations with your eyecare specialist could be the difference between non-invasive solutions, surgical treatments or even blindness.

That is the advice of respected ophthalmologist, Dr Yavische Reddy, who keeps rooms in both Ballito and KwaDukuza.

“There are many forms of Glaucoma that may catch you unaware, where the effect it is having on your vision happens too gradually to notice,” said Dr Reddy.

“It often starts with your peripheral vision too, making it even less likely to be caught.”

Many patients only flag the issue when it impacts their central vision, at which point it could be too late to avoid costly and time-consuming procedures.

Glaucoma can cause irreversible damage to the optic nerve because of a build-up of pressure.

“The pressure build-up is rarely uncomfortable because it happens incrementally. It is therefore crucially important to make screening part of your annual routine after the age of 40, or earlier for those in high risk groups,” she said.

People most at risk are steroid users or those with diabetes, myopia, previous eye injuries or a family history of the disease. The disease is also more common among women, although this is because they live longer than men.

“At a Glaucoma screening, an ophthalmologist will check the intraocular pressure of the eye and see whether there have been any changes in the visual field or damage to the optic nerve.”

Dr Reddy’s Ballito office is in Suite 3 at The Well and she can be found at Adams Medical Centre on 110 Hulett Street in KwaDukuza.

Contact her rooms at 061 434 0191 or 032 586 0040 to make a booking or visit ballitoeye.co.za to find out more.

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