Glaucoma Resources

Glaucoma is a serious eye condition, comprising a group of eye diseases, and is a leading cause of sight loss around the world. It has several forms, with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) the most common. Glaucoma can affect people of all ages but is more prevalent among older adults. It is a progressive condition and has a huge impact on quality of life, affecting the person’s ability to continue to lead a normal life. This article focuses on glaucoma in adults, and provides information on symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment. The aim is to help nurses and non-medical prescribers to recognise and refer suspected cases, improving outcomes and quality of life for all those affected by this devastating disease.

There are a number of eye diseases that increase in prevalence in older age, all of which affect vision to varying degrees. Impaired vision can impact significantly on an older person’s quality of life and ability to live independently. This article addresses the most common eye diseases seen in older adults. It discusses risk factors, signs, symptoms as well as treatment and management, with the aim of providing an overview for nurses, thus increasing knowledge, understanding and confidence in this area.