• In honor of World Glaucoma Day, we share practical advice from an expert in Las Tunas on how to cope with the disease as a family.
Las Tunas, Cuba.– “Every morning I wake up feeling like my world has shrunk. I can clearly see what’s right in front of me: the clock on the nightstand, the glass of water. But everything to the sides fades into shadows. It’s as if I live inside a tunnel, where only a narrow sliver of light allows me to orient myself.
Walking around the house has become a challenge. I trip over chairs that I can’t see in my peripheral vision. When someone enters the room, I don’t notice them until they speak to me; faces escape me if they’re not right in the center of my gaze. This makes me feel insecure, and sometimes even isolated.”
“As I can’t see clearly, going out is even harder. I hear the sound of a cyclist passing nearby, but I don’t see them until they’re too close. That scares me, because I know any lapse in attention could end in a fall. Anxiety is my constant companion, and although I try to stay calm, the idea of losing what little I can still see weighs on me every day.”
“However, I try to hold on to what I can do: read a book if I place it right in front of my eyes, enjoy the voices of my loved ones, and be grateful for every moment when clarity allows me to recognize a detail of the world that still surrounds me.”
… 
A patient with advanced glaucoma often experiences a series of sensations and visual limitations that profoundly affect their daily life. It’s not just about vision loss, but how that loss is perceived and experienced day by day. It feels like living with reduced, fragmented, and unreliable vision, accompanied by a significant emotional burden.
Dr. Noraidis Suárez Estéves, a Second-Degree Specialist in Ophthalmology, told 26 that, according to the Provincial Commission of Medical Expertise, this vision pathology is one of the main causes of total disability in the territory.
The doctor emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis, as it is currently the only way to prevent irreversible blindness, the leading cause of irreversible bilateral blindness worldwide and in Las Tunas.
The expert shared some practical tips to protect vision and stay safe from this silent thief.
"The most important thing is to have your eyes checked," the doctor stressed. "If you are at risk, once a year, and if you suspect you have glaucoma, twice a year. If you have already been diagnosed with glaucoma, adhere to the treatment and schedule prescribed by your doctor every day."
"If you use steroids or hormonal contraceptives, consult your ophthalmologist, as they can increase intraocular pressure. Eat well to see well. Include plenty of leafy green vegetables and colorful fruits in your daily diet; their vitamins protect your body and your eyes.”
"Exercise, but carefully. Aerobic exercise, brisk walking, and regular exercise at a moderate pace with proper breathing are recommended.”
"Avoid positions with your head lower than your heart. Do not sleep with one eye resting on the pillow or your arm. These positions increase intraocular pressure. Protect your eyes from trauma, sunlight, and ultraviolet radiation. Wear masks, protective glasses, polarized sunglasses, and a hat.”
"Unhealthy habits, especially smoking, affect vision and damage the optic nerve. Maintain good oral hygiene. Recent research links gum disease to optic nerve damage in people with glaucoma. By brushing your teeth three to four times a day, using the correct technique, you are also taking care of your eyes."
The doctor warned that glaucoma is a chronic disease, so control and medical treatment must be maintained for life. To prevent irreversible blindness, it must be diagnosed early and monitored by an ophthalmologist at the prescribed frequency, for the betterment of visual health.
