Despite being a major cause of blindness, glaucoma is often misunderstood. Debunking these myths is the first step toward protecting your vision.
MYTH 1:
“No one in my family has glaucoma, so I won’t get it.
FACT:
You can still get glaucoma even without a family history. Some relatives may have had it but were never diagnosed.
MYTH 2:
Glaucoma always leads to total blindness.
FACT:
Most people with glaucoma do not go blind. Early diagnosis and modern treatments help preserve vision.
MYTH 3:
Glaucoma tests are painful.
FACT:
Testing is quick and nearly painless. At most, a gentle puff of air or a few seconds of mild stinging from eye drops.
MYTH 4:
You can’t prevent glaucoma.
FACT:
You can prevent vision loss from glaucoma by getting regular eye exams and catching it early.
MYTH 5:
Only old people get glaucoma.
FACT:
Glaucoma can affect people of all ages even children and young adults.
MYTH 6:
Healthy habits won’t help with glaucoma.
FACT:
While damage can’t be reversed, a healthy lifestyle can help prevent further damage when paired with treatment.
MYTH 7:
Good vision means I can’t have glaucoma
FACT:
Glaucoma often has no early symptoms even with perfect vision. That’s why it’s called the “silent thief of sight.”
MYTH 8:
Surgery can cure glaucoma.
FACT:
There’s no cure, but surgery and treatments can slow or stop further damage effectively.
Reference:
Glaucoma Research Foundation. Glaucoma myths debunked [Internet]. San Francisco (CA): Glaucoma Research Foundation; 2023 [cited 2025 Sep 2]. Available from: https://glaucoma.org/articles/glaucoma-myths-debunked