Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, the health of which is vital for good vision. This damage is often caused by an abnormally high pressure in your eye.
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60. It can occur at any age but is more common in older adults. Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs. The effect is so gradual that you may not notice a change in vision until the condition is at an advanced stage.
Because vision loss due to glaucoma can't be recovered, it's important to have regular eye exams that include measurements of your eye pressure so a diagnosis can be made in its early stages and treated appropriately. If glaucoma is recognized early, vision loss can be slowed or prevented. If you have the condition, you'll generally need treatment for the rest of your life.
The signs and symptoms of glaucoma vary depending on the type and stage of your condition. For example: Open-angle glaucoma
If left untreated, glaucoma will eventually cause blindness. Even with treatment, about 15 percent of people with glaucoma become blind in at least one eye within 20 years.
Glaucoma is the result of damage to the optic nerve. As this nerve gradually deteriorates, blind spots develop in your visual field. For reasons that doctors don't fully understand, this nerve damage is usually related to increased pressure in the eye. Elevated eye pressure is due to a build-up of a fluid (aqueous humour) that flows throughout the inside of your eye. This internal fluid normally drains out through a tissue called the trabecular meshwork at the angle where the iris and cornea meet. When fluid is overproduced or the drainage system doesn't work properly, the fluid can't flow out at its normal rate and eye pressure increases. Glaucoma tends to run in families. In some people, scientists have identified genes related to high eye pressure and optic nerve damage.
Because chronic forms of glaucoma can destroy vision before any signs or symptoms are apparent, be aware of these risk factors:
These self-care steps can help you detect glaucoma in its early stages, which is important in preventing vision loss or slowing its progress.
Doctor will review your medical history and conduct a comprehensive eye examination. He or she may perform several tests, including:
The damage caused by glaucoma can't be reversed. But treatment and regular check-ups can help slow or prevent vision loss, especially if you catch the disease in its early stages. Glaucoma is treated by lowering your eye pressure (intraocular pressure). Depending on your situation, your options may include prescription eyedrops, oral medications, laser treatment, surgery or a combination of any of these.
Glaucoma treatment often starts with prescription eyedrops. These can help decrease eye pressure by improving how fluid drains from your eye or by decreasing the amount of fluid your eye makes. Depending on how low your eye pressure needs to be, more than one of the eyedrops below may need to be prescribed.
Because some of the eyedrop medicine is absorbed into your bloodstream, you may experience some side effects unrelated to your eyes. To minimize this absorption, close your eyes for one to two minutes after putting the drops in. You may also press lightly at the corner of your eyes near your nose to close the tear duct for one or two minutes. Wipe off any unused drops from your eyelid.
If you have been prescribed multiple eyedrops or you need to use artificial tears, space them out so that you are waiting at least five minutes in between types of drops.
If eyedrops alone don't bring your eye pressure down to the desired level, doctor may also prescribe an oral medication, usually a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. Possible side effects include frequent urination, tingling in the fingers and toes, depression, stomach upset, and kidney stones.
Other treatment options include laser therapy and various surgical procedures. The following techniques are intended to improve the drainage of fluid within the eye, thereby lowering pressure:
After your procedure, you'll need to see your doctor for follow-up exams. And you may eventually need to undergo additional procedures if your eye pressure begins to rise or other changes occur in your eye.
octor creates a small opening in your iris using a laser. This allows fluid (aqueous humour) to flow through it, relieving eye pressure.Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a medical emergency. If you're diagnosed with this condition, you'll need urgent treatment to reduce the pressure in your eye. This generally will require both medication and laser or other surgical procedures. You may have a procedure called a laser peripheral iridotomy in which the doctor creates a small opening in your iris using a laser. This allows fluid (aqueous humour) to flow through it, relieving eye pressure.
At Envision Eye Hospital we evaluate and treats patients with Glaucoma and other diseases characterised by increased pressure in the eye and/or glaucomatous atrophy of the optic nerve. It also serves for the treatment of Congenital Glaucoma, a rare condition with increased eye pressure and corneal enlargement present at birth or during the first few months of life. Patients of all ages, from new-borns to the elderly are being treated.
Our centre is well equipped with the latest diagnostic and therapeutic modalities to combat blindness due to the disease. The centre is recognised as a Centre of Excellence with a commitment to enhancing quality of patient care in early diagnosis and therapy. Our centre handles Primary Glaucoma’s, which are largely inherited, in addition to Secondary Glaucoma’s caused by trauma, inflammation, Diabetes, Retinal Vascular Disease and hyper mature cataracts. Deviations from normal retinal nerve fibre thickness are the earliest structural changes in persons with glaucoma.