What You Need to Know About Home Care Services for a Loved One with Glaucoma

Home Care Blog  |  January 31, 2018

Home Care Services for Seniors with Glaucoma

Comfort Keepers Calgary offers home care services for seniors with glaucoma; a serious eye disease that affects seniors throughout Canada. Seniors over the age of 60 have the highest risk for developing glaucoma. If you have a senior loved one who hasn’t had an eye exam yet this year now is the perfect time to learn more about glaucoma and ensure that your loved one gets screened. Seniors that have trouble getting to medical appointments can rely on home care services to make it easier for them to get to important appointments like a glaucoma screening.

Causes of Glaucoma

Most of the time, glaucoma occurs when the fluid inside of the eye does not drain properly. When the fluid builds up, the pressure inside of the eye increases as well. This pressure hinders the optic nerve and can lead to vision loss and blindness in time. Glaucoma can also arise in an individual with normal eye pressure if there is poor blood flow to the nerve or the optic nerve is fragile.

Glaucoma Risk Factors

High pressure within the eye is the greatest risk factor for glaucoma. However, other risk factors include old age, thin corneas, steroid use, previous eye injuries, a family history of glaucoma, a history of shock or anemia, and nearsightedness.

Symptoms of Glaucoma

While there are 5 different types of glaucoma, the most common one is open-angle glaucoma. Since it does not show any signs or symptoms except for gradual loss, it’s imperative that older adults visit the ophthalmologist yearly so that any vision changes can be monitored.

Narrow-angle glaucoma is considered a medical emergency. If your senior loved one in Calgary, AB experiences symptoms such as severe eye pain, eye redness, nausea, vomiting, sudden blurred vision, or seeing halos around lights, they should visit their doctor immediately.

Glaucoma Treatments

There are a number of different ways doctors may treat glaucoma. The most common glaucoma treatment is eye drops. Eye drops work by reducing the formation of eye fluid or increasing its outflow. Redness, allergies, irritation, and stinging are all side effects of glaucoma eye drops so seniors should inform a doctor of any other medication allergies. A doctor may prescribe an oral medication if eye drops do not help. Comfort Keepers home care services can help seniors with personal care, light housekeeping, meal preparation and medication reminders.

Several lifestyle changes and home care services can improve glaucoma and eye health as well. A healthy diet full of dark, leafy green vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids, frequent exercise, and sleeping with an elevated head are all recommended.

Laser surgery may also be an option for glaucoma and increase the flow of eye fluid for older adults with open-angle glaucoma. For seniors with angle-closure glaucoma, laser surgery may be effective in stopping fluid blockage. Cyclophotocoagulation, trabeculoplasty, and iridotomy are all examples of laser surgeries that may be performed to treat glaucoma.

While glaucoma cannot be prevented, it can be controlled if it is diagnosed and treated early. Older adults who make yearly visits to the ophthalmologist a priority can reduce their risk of blindness and enjoy healthy eyes and a higher quality of life throughout their golden years.

Home Care Services for Seniors with Glaucoma

Comfort Keepers Calgary offers home care services for seniors with glaucoma; a serious eye disease that affects seniors throughout Canada. Seniors over the age of 60 have the highest risk for developing glaucoma. If you have a senior loved one who hasn’t had an eye exam yet this year now is the perfect time to learn more about glaucoma and ensure that your loved one gets screened. Seniors that have trouble getting to medical appointments can rely on home care services to make it easier for them to get to important appointments like a glaucoma screening.

Causes of Glaucoma

Most of the time, glaucoma occurs when the fluid inside of the eye does not drain properly. When the fluid builds up, the pressure inside of the eye increases as well. This pressure hinders the optic nerve and can lead to vision loss and blindness in time. Glaucoma can also arise in an individual with normal eye pressure if there is poor blood flow to the nerve or the optic nerve is fragile.

Glaucoma Risk Factors

High pressure within the eye is the greatest risk factor for glaucoma. However, other risk factors include old age, thin corneas, steroid use, previous eye injuries, a family history of glaucoma, a history of shock or anemia, and nearsightedness.

Symptoms of Glaucoma

While there are 5 different types of glaucoma, the most common one is open-angle glaucoma. Since it does not show any signs or symptoms except for gradual loss, it’s imperative that older adults visit the ophthalmologist yearly so that any vision changes can be monitored.

Narrow-angle glaucoma is considered a medical emergency. If your senior loved one in Calgary, AB experiences symptoms such as severe eye pain, eye redness, nausea, vomiting, sudden blurred vision, or seeing halos around lights, they should visit their doctor immediately.

Home Care Services for Seniors with Glaucoma – Glaucoma Treatments

There are a number of different ways doctors may treat glaucoma. The most common glaucoma treatment is eye drops. Eye drops work by reducing the formation of eye fluid or increasing its outflow. Redness, allergies, irritation, and stinging are all side effects of glaucoma eye drops so seniors should inform a doctor of any other medication allergies. A doctor may prescribe an oral medication if eye drops do not help. Comfort Keepers home care services can help seniors with personal care, light housekeeping, meal preparation and medication reminders.

Several lifestyle changes and home care services can improve glaucoma and eye health as well. A healthy diet full of dark, leafy green vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids, frequent exercise, and sleeping with an elevated head are all recommended.

Laser surgery may also be an option for glaucoma and increase the flow of eye fluid for older adults with open-angle glaucoma. For seniors with angle-closure glaucoma, laser surgery may be effective in stopping fluid blockage. Cyclophotocoagulation, trabeculoplasty, and iridotomy are all examples of laser surgeries that may be performed to treat glaucoma.

While glaucoma cannot be prevented, it can be controlled if it is diagnosed and treated early. Older adults who make yearly visits to the ophthalmologist a priority can reduce their risk of blindness and enjoy healthy eyes and a higher quality of life throughout their golden years.

Comfort Keepers^® Calgary Can Help Home Care Services for Seniors with Glaucoma

At Comfort Keepers^®, we create individual care plans for every client. These plans include wellness goals that consider physical, mental and emotional health. Our caregivers can help support physician-prescribed diet and exercise plans, provide medication reminders, provide transportation to appointments and help seniors engage in the activities they love the most. And, our caregivers can help senior stay connected with loved ones through video chats, phone calls and care updates. We believe that every senior should experience the best in life.

Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.

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