Share
I was born with Glaucoma. It certainly affects young people so don’t wait until you’re 40 or 50 so go and get a regular check.
When I was very young I was learning to ride a bike on the footpath and I just slammed straight into a telegraph pole. The next thing I knew I woke up in hospital and the specialist told me I had glaucoma.
I think probably the biggest fear of any human being is to go blind as it obviously completely changes your life. I can’t stress how important it is to look after your eyes and get tested. Most optometrists now can do a basic glaucoma test and it’s not an expensive exercise to save a precious thing.
It’s also very important to stay positive as there are great things out there to help you, great technology and medications but you must stick to the medication that you are given.
Abbie was diagnosed with glaucoma as a newborn and had surgeries to control her eye pressure. Despite being short-sighted with nystagmus, she lives independently and runs a dance company called Blindful.
Suzanne learned she had glaucoma during an eye check-up when she was 65. Now, for the past five years, she has been receiving treatment to protect her eyes from further damage.
Patricia discovered she inherited glaucoma from her father after developing cataracts. She underwent a successful surgery and is now taking eye drops regularly. She now advises others to get tested early.