Glaucoma

Glaucoma can affect your life. How much you are affected depends on how bad your vision loss is, what kinds of activities you do, and your lifestyle. You can work with your doctor to find ways to make the best use of your remaining vision. You can:

• Use vision aids such as video enlargement systems and large-print items.
• Position lighting so that it's aimed at what you want to see and aimed away from your eyes.
• Mark the areas around stairways and ramps with paint or tape.

Reference Reference Vision Problems: Living With Poor Eyesight

It's common to feel sad or angry when you learn that you have glaucoma. Try building a Reference support group of family and friends. Your doctor can also refer you to counselors who specialize in helping people adjust to living with low vision.

Medicine is a large part of your treatment. Be sure to:

• Use your glaucoma medicines as prescribed by your doctor.
• Check with a doctor before taking any over-the-counter medicines if you have closed-angle glaucoma or you are at risk for it.
• Carry a wallet card or other identification that states that you have glaucoma.

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