Receiving a glaucoma diagnosis can be stressful. You may be anticipating the various changes your life may undergo, including learning new ways of doing certain things. You can, however, live a full, satisfying, and productive life with glaucoma, and The BrightFocus Foundation is here to help you understand what it’s like living with glaucoma.* In Part One, we’ll cover visual rehabilitation, developing your other senses, home and personal safety, and facilitating daily activities.

Visual rehabilitation

While vision lost to glaucoma cannot yet be restored, visual rehabilitation can help you strengthen your remaining vision and adjust to any vision changes you have undergone. 

Visual rehabilitation may include:

• informing your eye doctor of any challenges you’re experiencing at home, at work, or in transit;
• consulting your eye doctor and/or rehabilitation therapist about low-vision aids and other resources;
• acting on referrals to eye clinics and organizations that can help you adapt your daily activities and functional spaces to accommodate any new limitations. 

Developing your other senses

Many people with low vision are surprised to discover how much information they can gather from their other senses. Honing in on your other senses can help you navigate through your home and your life more efficiently, as well as to remain independent.

Hearing

Since we’re accustomed to relying on our eyes for information about our environment and the world, most of us don’t pay as much attention to what we’re hearing. We actually receive far more auditory cues than we think. 

Take the time to notice and listen to:

• the refrigerator humming, 
• the central air conditioning or heat turning on, 
• a ceiling fan whirring overhead,
• traffic noises when windows are open and closed, and
• a tree branch scraping against the side of your house on a windy day. 

Listen to audiobooks, music, and podcasts. As you train your brain to listen more closely, you’ll notice more contrasts in the quality, volume, pitch, and timing of different sounds, and they’ll start to take on more meaning. 

Touch

Your sense of touch can be further developed by paying close attention to certain details, such as:

• textures of clothing items, furniture, and countertops;
• weight and balance of cookware and other handheld appliances;
• temperature changes between different rooms;
• movements of air, curtains, water, and other flowing items; and
• space, distance, and reach between structures and objects.

Use your hands and feet to feel your way around, both indoors and outdoors—taking special care when walking up or down stairs, through doorways, or in unfamiliar settings. 

Home and personal safety

People with glaucoma can continue to live independently at home by taking precautions and making practical modifications to their living spaces and lifestyles.

Safe lighting

• Use under-cabinet lights or task lamps to direct light where it is needed.
• Use dimmer switches to control the amount of light in each room.
• Use night lights by doorways and staircases.
• Control window glare with blinds or curtains.

Stair safety

• Install and use handrails on both sides of the staircase.
• Make sure the staircase is well-lit at both ends.
• Use bright and/or contrasting tape to mark the edges of steps.
• Mark the first and last steps in a special, recognizable way.

Bathroom safety

• Install grab bars by the bathtub, shower, and toilet.
• Place contrasting tape around the edge of the tub.
• Use bright, non-skid mats in the bathtub and on the floor.
• Use a bright, contrasting toilet seat.

Functional spaces

• Spread furniture apart to create wide walkways.
• Replace broken tiles and worn or torn carpeting.
• Make sure that thresholds are flush with the floor or brightly painted.
• Put away area rugs or make sure they are bright, non-skid, and tacked down.
• Gather wires and tack or tuck them out of the way.
• Mark light switches and electrical outlets with bright colors.
• Paint interior doors in bright, contrasting colors or replace them with curtains.
• Use magnetic door stops.

Facilitating daily activities

While diminished vision can make some common daily tasks more challenging, there are some simple steps you can take to make them easier. 

Some suggestions include:

• Use magnifying glasses, closed-circuit TVs, and computer screen-reading software. 
• Consider wearing sunglasses with amber or yellow lenses to control glare, even indoors.
• Request large-print labels on your medication packages from your pharmacy.
• Use large-print books, playing cards, and clocks, as well as change the font size on your mobile phone, tablet, and desktop computer or laptop.
• Use audio books, talking scales, and other devices designed for those with low vision.
• Organize items, such as clothing, medications, kitchenware, and important phone numbers, so that their placement is clearly-labeled and easy to remember.
• Mark the thermostat, stove, and other appliances with bright colors. 
• Learn about transportation options in your area for when it’s time to stop driving.

Check out Part Two—covering health, safety, and quality of life, as well as employment and income!

*BrightFocus Foundation. (2018, June 21). Glaucoma: Living with Your Disease.

Any sources from outside of Prevent Blindness do not imply an endorsement from Prevent Blindness. The contents of the material used are the responsibility of the authoring organization, Responsum Health.