Pictured: "Branch of Pale Orchids" acrylic painting
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Glaucoma awareness month is every January with a green ribbon.
I chose orchids as the flower to use because orchid blooms last a long time, and we would all like our vision to last. The blooms have green shadows on them to represent the green awareness ribbon, and the black background symbolizes blindness.
Glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve; having high blood pressure can damage the nerves. Think of your blood vessels like a garden hose- the more you crank up the water, the more pressure is placed on the fibers of the hose. This is similar to what happens in your body when you have high blood pressure, which is also why high blood pressure is a risk factor in conditions such as stroke.
Diabetes also adversely affects the nerves in our eyes by causing blood vessels to become brittle. Going back to the garden hose analogy, a damaged, brittle hose may crack and leak, before eventually breaking. A brittle hose with cracks will not deliver water properly to where it needs to go, just as brittle blood vessels cannot transport blood and oxygen properly throughout our body.
There is no cure for glaucoma, but there are treatments. The best thing to do for yourself is to get regular health screenings. This includes a wellness visit to your primary care physician, who can diagnose high blood pressure or pre-diabetes early. Also get yearly eye exams.
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Pictured: "Frankenstein's Bride" acrylic painting ORDER PRINTS FROM GEO GALLERIES
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Pictured: "Lilian" acrylic painting
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Artist blog content and images are not authorized for reproduction. Produced for information and encouragement only; consult your doctor for health advice.