1. Keep your appointments!
- Missing appointments can lead to permanent loss of vision.
- Ask your doctor if they have a system to monitor for missed appointments
2. Take your drops every day
- If you forget, take your drop as soon as you remember.
- Associate taking your eye drops with another activity you always remember to do. For example:
- Brushing your teeth
- Taking other meds
- Eating meals
- Write down when you take your drops if you have trouble remembering.
- Understand that missing drops can cause the eye pressure to rise, leading to more glaucoma damage.
3. Keep your drops at the ready
- Put your drops in a location that is convenient for you to use them. This could help you use them on a regular basis. For example:
- Bathroom with a mirror
- Bedside
- Kitchen
- With other meds
4. Renew your meds
- Set up a system to have your eye drops renewed on a regular basis.
- Consider getting 3 months of refills at once.
- Set up a reminder in your phone for refills.
- Understand that missing drops can cause your eye pressure to go up. This rise in pressure increases your risk of vision loss.
5. Learn about glaucoma
- Ask for information from your doctor and read it.
- Check other sources for information on glaucoma.
http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/
- Keep a list of questions as they arise so that you can discuss them with your doctor at the next visit.
- Understand the testing that is done to monitor your glaucoma.
- Ask your doctor to review your testing with you.
- Understand what tests are used to monitor your glaucoma.
6. Know who you can count on
- Know what your support systems are and how they can help you.
- Do you need help giving yourself drops?
- Do you need help remembering drops?
- Do you need help paying for your drops?
- Let your doctor know if anything is limiting you in getting your drops every day.
7. Travel—Take Extra
- Put an extra bottle in your travel bag.
- Carry an extra copy of your prescription with you when you travel.
8. Know Your Family History
- Do your siblings or parents have glaucoma?
- Let your parents, siblings, and children know you have glaucoma. They are at greater risk for glaucoma because a family member has it.
- Tell your family to ask a doctor about being tested for glaucoma. The only way to know if they have glaucoma is with an eye exam.
9. Aerobic Exercise Lowers IOP
- Exercise, such as jogging, walking and bike riding, may help treat glaucoma in addition to drops, laser and surgery.
- Try to add exercise into your lifestyle. It may help your glaucoma, along with the rest of your health!
10. Supplements
- No specific supplements are known to prevent glaucoma.
- In general, take a good senior multivitamin (low iron), fish oil, and Vitamin D3 on a daily basis.
- Eat a diet with lots of fresh vegetables and fruits. Can’t go wrong!