Glaucoma

 

Glaucoma is a group of eye disorders that will lead to damage the optic nerve. It leads to vision loss because of that optic nerve damage. Most of the cases, fluids in the front part of the eye put pressure on the eye, it gradually damages the optic nerve. This type of eye pressure is called Intraocular pressure(IOP) or eye pressure.

That intraocular pressure in your eye damages the optic nerve which sends images to your brain. If the optic nerve damages worsen, glaucoma will cause permanent vision loss or even complete blindness within a few years.

Mostly, those who have glaucoma have no early signs or symptoms or pain. Visit your eye specialists regularly so they can diagnose and help to treat glaucoma before you lose your vision. If you lose your vision, it can’t be regained. But keeping your eye pressure low will help you keep the eye sight you have. 

It can’t be regained, If you lose vision. But lowering your eye pressure will help you to keep the eye sight you have. People with glaucoma who are following their treatment plan and those who have regular eye exams are able to keep their eye vision.

Types of Glaucoma

Several types of glaucoma are there, which includes,

• Open-angle -

Open angle glaucoma is the most common type of eye disease; it affects more than 90% of people who have glaucoma. In the eye’s drainage canals, tiny deposits are built up, slowly clogging them. In this type, will appear canals to be open and functioning normally. But over years, the fluid deposits put pressure on the optic nerve. This type of glaucoma can go unnoticed because most people don’t experience any signs or symptoms.

• Closed-angle

This type is also called angle-closure or narrow-angle glaucoma or acute angle glaucoma. This rare type more often comes on suddenly. It will occur if the angle between iris and cornea is too narrow. So it blocks the drainage canals, prevents fluid leaving form the eye and causes acute elevation in eye pressure. Symptoms are eye pain and headaches will be severe and require immediate medical attention.

• Normal-tension

This type of glaucoma is called normal-pressure or low-tension glaucoma. So one in three people have optic nerve damage even if your eye pressure is normal or not too very high. Eye experts are not sure about causes of normal-tension glaucoma. Basically, Normal-tension glaucoma is more common among asians.

• Congenital

Babies are born with drainage canals that don’t properly form during fetal development. Your healthcare provider will notice your baby’s glaucoma symptoms at birth. And also signs may also be noticeable during childhood. This type of condition is called childhood, infantile or pediatric glaucoma.

Symptoms

Open-angle glaucoma

• No symptoms in early stages
• Gradually, patchy blind spots in your side vision. Side vision also called as peripheral vision
• Difficulty seeing things in your central vision at your later stages.

Acute angle-closure glaucoma

• Severe headache
• Severe eye pain
• Nausea or vomiting
• Blurred vision
• Halos or colored rings around lights
• Eye redness

Normal-tension glaucoma

• No symptoms in early stages
• Gradually, blurred vision
• In later stages, loss of side vision

Glaucoma in children

• A dull or cloudy eye (infants)
• Increased blinking (infants)
• Tears without crying (infants)
• Blurred vision
• Near-sightedness that gets worse
• Headache
• Pigmentary glaucoma
• Halos around lights
• Blurred vision with exercise
• Gradual loss of side vision

Causes of glaucoma

Normally glaucoma can occur without any cause, but it is affected by many risk factors. Among those risk factors, intraocular eye pressure is the most important one. Your eyes produce a fluid called aqueous humor which nourishes them. This liquid flows through the front of the eye. With glaucoma, microscopic deposits will clog drainage canals. This fluid won’t go anywhere, so it builds up in the eye. This excess fluid puts pressure on the eye. This wye pressure can damage the optic nerve which leads to glaucoma.

Glaucoma Risk Factors

Glaucoma mostly affects adults over the age of 40, but young children, infants can also have it.

Having more chances to get, if you 

• Are living in African American, Irish, Russian, Japanese, Hispanic, Inuit, or Scandinavian descent
• Are over the age of 40
• Are Having a family medical history of glaucoma
• Are having near-sighted or long sight
• Are Having poor vision
• Are Having diabetes
• Are taking certain steroid medications like prednisone
• Are taking certain drugs for bladder control or seizures, or some over-the-counter cold remedies
• Are had an any injury to your eye or eyes
• Are Having corneas which is thinner than usual
• Are Having high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, or sickle cell anemia
• Are Having high eye pressure

Glaucoma diagnosed methods

It is more possible to have glaucoma but you do not know whether you have it or not. To catch glaucoma or any other eye problems, regular eye exams are very important. Eye exams will assess optic health and vision loss.

For checking glaucoma, your eye specialists will do one or more painless tests:

• To widen pupils and view the optic nerve at the back of the eyes by using dilated eye exam.
• To examine the angle where the iris and cornea meet by Gonioscopy.
• To look for changes in the optic nerve that may indicate glaucoma by using Optical coherence tomography (OCT).
• To measure eye pressure, use Ocular pressure test (tonometry).
• Use pachymetry to measure the corneal thickness.
• To examine the inside of the eye with a special microscope called a slit lamp, a test called Slit-lamp exam.
• To check for vision loss, do a Visual acuity test (eye charts).
• To check for changes in peripheral vision (your ability to see things off to the side), do a Visual field test (perimeter).

Preventing glaucoma

Routine eye exams are the best way to detect glaucoma and prevent vision loss at an early stage. Every Glaucoma testing should occur:

• for people, 1 to 2 years after age 35 are at high risk.
• for people, 2 to 4 years before age 40.
• for people, 1 to 3 years between ages 40 and 54.
• for people, 1 to 2 years between ages 55 to 64.
• for people, 6 months to 12 months after age 65.

Conclusion

If there’s not a cure for glaucoma, treatments will keep eye pressure under your control and also prevent vision loss. If you catch the disease early, regular eye exams will help to save your sight. Ask your eye doctor how often you need screenings, If you’re at high risk for glaucoma. It’s important to use eye drops daily as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Ask your healthcare provider about laser treatments and surgery options. With proper treatment care, you can keep glaucoma from irreversible vision loss or blindness.