Glaucoma
- Thursday, November 18, 2021
Glaucoma
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma damages the optic nerve prematurely. The condition is often caused by high pressure in the eye due to excess fluid build-up. The condition is one of the most common markers of blindness, leaving over 7.5 million people blind worldwide.
Often termed as the “sneak thief of sight,” the symptoms of this disease are next to negligible. The eye condition affects vision, gradually resulting in poor eyesight and complete blindness before the patient even realizes it.
What Causes Glaucoma?
Our eyes produce a fluid inside called aqueous humor, responsible for maintaining nourishment and hydration of the eyes. While the fluid is naturally drained out through the canal located at the angle of the eye, in patients with
glaucoma, there is irregular and non-uniform drainage of the fluid, leading to excess fluid pressure in the eyes. This extra pressure is termed intraocular pressure (IOP).
The raised IOP in the eyes imposes direct damage to the optic nerve, inhibiting the sensations carried to the retina. Not just the optic nerve, the raised IOP also damages the optic disc. However, there are instances in which patients
with glaucoma have had normal IOP levels, so fluid pressure can’t be the only measurement marker for the disease.
Types of Glaucoma
There are predominantly three different types of glaucoma, including:
- Open angle glaucoma – In this type, the constant resistance to the outflow of the canal in the eyes leads to a raised fluid pressure that directly affects the optic nerves. The patient affected with this type of glaucoma often loses their peripheral vision first, followed by their central or tunnel vision.
- Angle closure glaucoma – This condition is caused due to the relative block to the free flow of the fluid in the eyes.
- Developmental glaucoma – The last type is associated with developmental anomalies witnessed in children during or after their birth. It is further divided into two types – congenital glaucoma and juvenile glaucoma.
Who are at risk of Glaucoma?
You are at heightened risks of glaucoma if:
- Above 35 years age
- Genetic predisposition
- Patients who are on steroid drops or ointments
- Struggle with chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension
- See colored rings around your eyes
Treatment for Glaucoma
Glaucoma treatment helps patients preserve their remaining vision before the symptoms take a turn for the worse.
Since the condition is tough to detect and diagnose, the patients must undergo regular eye check-ups to detect the disease at an earlier stage. If diagnosed at an early stage, the condition can be managed with medications alone. However, in severe cases, the patient might have to consider undergoing laser treatment or surgery.
How is Glaucoma diagnosed?
Ophthalmologist can runs five types of tests to diagnose Glaucoma.
- Slit lamp microscope examination – In this, the doctor focuses a beam of light into the eye to check for severe injuries or diseases in the eye.
- Applanation Tonometer – This instrument is used to measure the fluid pressure inside the eyes to check for anomalies.
- Gonioscope – This examination is done to check the angle of the eye. This test is done to check the type of glaucoma the patient is suffering from.
- Optic disc examination – The doctor will generally do a computerized scan of the optic disc to check for its health.
- Perimetry test – Damage to the optic nerve impacts the field of vision gradually. Doing a perimetry test helps can help diagnose if the patient has a full field vision or glaucoma has spread to untreatable levels.