Annual eye tests are not only necessary for those who wear eye glasses already.

Conditions that can cause vision loss, such as glaucoma, have no signs or symptoms but can be detected through regular eye screening.

Dr. Bryce Ford with the Canadian Ophthalmological Society lists the risk factors for glaucoma here.

“If you have a direct family member with glaucoma, such as your brother, sister, mom or dad, that is certainly a risk factor and you should be checked more frequently. We suggest annually. Other risk factors would be if you have migraine headaches or if you are on certain medications such as steroids like prednisone or cortisone.  Also the greater your age, the more likely you are to get glaucoma.”

Treatment for glaucoma ranges from eye drops to laser treatments and surgery, depending on how quickly it’s diagnosed.

Ford says anyone over 65 should have an annual eye exam to monitor for the disease, but he added that anyone of any age can have the condition and regular visits to an eye care specialist are recommended.

Listen to the full interview with Dr. Ford on Thompson Today this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10.