Struggling with your eyesight can be an awful ailment to have to deal with, and whether you're a glasses or contacts wearer, it's safe to say every one of us would prefer to have the luxury of having perfect vision. Unfortunately, though, only some of us are blessed with this. 



Even if we try and take the best care of our eyes, it is common that our eyes can become damaged throughout our lives. So no matter how much care we take of ourselves, there are, in fact, many reasons that our eyes could suffer by themselves. One of the main causes of this is inherited diseases. Did you know that it has been estimated that there are over 350 different types of hereditary eye illnesses? Some of the most common include color blindness, glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and retinoblastoma. In this guide today, we will look at glaucoma. 

Glaucoma
When adults are concerned, glaucoma is one of the main worries to have. One of the ways glaucoma is checked for is through a puff of air being blown directly into your eye. This can be uncomfortable but is a great way to check your eyes' health. The other way it can be checked for is through the checking of your visual field. The most common way of doing this is through flashing lights across a screen and checking to see how you identify them. This test will be done quickly as a way to identify glaucoma. A good optometrist will be able to diagnose you. You can chat with your optometrist about the method, how it will work, and the possibility of this affecting your children. By heading to a family practice, if this does affect your children in the future, your optometrist will have your history and be able to provide the help you need. You can all have your eye exams carried out at the same time, and constant monitoring means that your children can deal with the eye disease as soon as it shows.

Making Progress 
As adults, the two leading causes of blindness are glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. What's interesting is that researchers have found that both of these eye diseases appear to be inherited in most cases. Luckily these researchers have started to map several genes that are identified in glaucoma and are starting to identify the specific genes involved in macular degeneration. The researchers are also making significant progress in working out the genes that can be the cause of retinitis pigmentosa, which is a degenerative disease found in the retina. This can cause night blindness and eventually a gradual loss of vision.

Our Genes
It is our genes that make up who we are and how our bodies work. Therefore, genetic factors play a huge role in any health issues we may face, whatever body part is concerned. Recent studies have now shown that there are well over 6000 genetic disorders and that new genetic disorders are found almost every day. Luckily more than 600 of these disorders are treatable, but it's worth knowing that around 1 in 50 people are affected by an unknown genetic disorder. 
This goes the same for our eyes. In fact, it has been found that over 60% of blindness in children is caused by inherited eye diseases. Our genes also play a role in more basic vision problems. Therefore, ensuring you have a quality optometrist on hand is crucial.