If you’re living with glaucoma, you already know how important early detection and consistent care are for protecting your vision. What you may not realize is that your diagnosis can also help protect your family’s eyesight.

Having a close biological relative with glaucoma, like a parent, child, or sibling, makes someone up to 10 times more likely to develop the disease themselves. That means your diagnosis gives your family a powerful reason to take action early.*

By sharing your story and encouraging your loved ones to get screened, you could help them catch glaucoma before it causes any vision loss.

Glaucoma and Family Risk: What Your Diagnosis Means for Them

Glaucoma often runs in families, especially among first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, or children). According to specialists, people who have a sibling with glaucoma face the highest risk — up to 10 times greater than average.

“One of the biggest risk factors for glaucoma is if it runs in your family,” explains glaucoma specialist Dr. Daniel Petkovsek. “So, if you have a first-degree blood relative with glaucoma, they should definitely get their eyes checked.”

Your diagnosis doesn’t just affect you; it’s valuable information that could protect others. When family members know they’re at higher risk, they can schedule eye exams earlier and monitor their eye pressure more closely.

Family History vs. Hereditary Glaucoma

It’s important to understand the difference between having a family history and inheriting glaucoma:

• Family history means someone in your family has glaucoma, increasing your risk.
• Hereditary (inherited) glaucoma means certain gene mutations have been passed down that specifically cause or raise the risk of glaucoma.

Some types of glaucoma, like primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), angle-closure glaucoma, and pigmentary glaucoma, are known to have strong hereditary patterns. Others, like secondary glaucoma caused by injury, uveitis, or diabetes, are not directly inherited but can still cluster in families due to shared health factors.

So even if your relatives don’t have the exact same type of glaucoma as you, they may still be at increased risk.

Why Family Conversations Matter

Glaucoma is sometimes called the “silent thief of sight” because it can progress for years without symptoms. Many people don’t know they have it until it’s already caused permanent vision loss.

That’s why sharing your diagnosis with your family is so important. Let your loved ones know that:

• Glaucoma can run in families — even if no one talks about it.
• It often develops without pain or noticeable vision changes.
• The only way to catch it early is through a comprehensive eye exam that includes eye pressure measurement and optic nerve evaluation.

You might be surprised how powerful that conversation can be. Sometimes, a simple comment like, “My doctor says glaucoma can run in families. Have you had your eyes checked recently?” is enough to get someone to schedule an exam.

“As long as you keep up with your doctor’s visits and follow your treatment plan, glaucoma is a very manageable condition,” says Dr. Mary Qiu. “But for family members who don’t yet know they’re at risk, early detection is everything.”

How to Help Your Family Take Action

1. Encourage Regular Eye Exams

Experts recommend everyone get a baseline eye exam by age 40, but your family members should start sooner, around age 35 or even earlier if they have additional risks like high eye pressure or diabetes.

After that, yearly check-ups are key. If anything looks suspicious, the doctor can begin treatment early to protect their sight.

2. Share What You’ve Learned

Use your experience to guide your loved ones:

• Explain what led to your own diagnosis, maybe a routine eye exam or unexpected vision changes.
• Talk about how treatment has helped you manage your condition.
• Let them know glaucoma is common, manageable, and not something to fear, as long as it’s caught early.

3. Encourage Each Relative to Learn Their Own Risk

Your story might motivate relatives to learn more about their own health. Encourage them to talk to their eye doctor and share your diagnosis during their appointment.

4. Support One Another

Glaucoma can affect families emotionally, too. Supporting one another through appointments, lifestyle changes, and follow-up care can make a big difference.

The Power of Awareness

The reality is that half of all people with glaucoma don’t know they have it. But awareness can change that, starting with you.

By opening the conversation in your family, you’re doing something powerful: helping your loved ones protect their vision before it’s too late.

So next time you see your siblings, children, or parents, bring it up. Share what you’ve learned. Tell them why annual eye exams matter. Your story could help save their sight.

* Cleveland Clinic (April 28, 2025). “Does Glaucoma Run in Families?” health.clevelandclinic.org

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