SN video medicine and life sciences. Glaucoma in the elderly / produced by Springer Nature.

[London, England] : Springer Nature, 2019.

1 online resource (10 minutes)

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Half of glaucoma patients in the US are undiagnosed. Tonometry is a relatively light and inexpensive way to screen for glaucoma, and according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, a clear chain of evidence connects glaucoma screening with glaucoma treatment, visual function preservation and quality of life improvement. A lack of treatment can have disastrous consequences. For example, glaucoma patients were found to have a 3 fold increase in annual falls and 6 fold increase in motor vehicle accident in the preceding 5 years than controls. It is important for healthcare providers to have a firm grasp of the financial situation of the patient and have a frank discussion about medication and treatment options. The overall status of the patient should also be taken into account when determining treatment rather than pure chronological age. This includes ocular and medical commodities, mobility, and allergies. Physicians should take care to make sure patients also are able to apply eye drops properly, especially if they also have arthritis. Finally, treatment should be determined with the patient, after a discussion of the risks and benefits of treatment options. In this video, Natalie DeBolske of Baylor College of Medicine interviews Dr. Joanna Queen on the unique needs of aging patients with glaucoma, which is one of the most common conditions in the aging population and can often go undetected until it is advanced.

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March 27, 2023