Whether you’ve just received a diagnosis or have been managing disease symptoms and progression for some time, glaucoma support groups can provide much-needed comfort and understanding, as well as helpful tips concerning how to handle medication side effects, stress before surgery, and lifestyle habits, all from peers who are in the same boat. Managing your glaucoma is a lifelong path, and a strong support community can help boost your knowledge and spirits along your journey. 

How to Find Local Support Groups

Patient support groups for glaucoma may not be widely advertised, but there’s likely at least one in or near your community. To find an in-person glaucoma support group, you can check with your local:

• Eye doctors and vision centers
• Hospitals
• Senior Centers
• Area Agency on Aging
• Online community forums like Nextdoor
• Social media

Religious and spiritual communities may also form their own in-house support groups that are open to people outside the congregation. Check with your local churches, synagogues, mosques, and other establishments for hidden support group gems.

How to Find Support Groups Online

Online support groups are great for people who live in remote areas, are in ill health, don’t have convenient or reliable transportation, or just don’t like physical crowds. There are several ways to find support groups online:

• Do a general search for “glaucoma support groups” or “low vision support groups” in a search engine like Google, Bing, or Yahoo.
• Search Facebook for such groups as Glaucoma-Eyes and Glaucoma Support.

*Glaucoma Research Foundation. (2020, June 26). Glaucoma Support Groups. https://www.glaucoma.org/treatment/glaucoma-support-groups.php