Glaucoma: A dangerous Eye Disease

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Today, I will be sharing with us an an important eye defect that has gain more grounds in the society but is ignorantly ignored. Take your time to read through and share your thought, experience and advice on this subject matter.

WHAT IS GLAUCOMA?

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve. The optic nerve is the main nerve (located in the back of the eye) that is responsible for transmitting electrical impulses to the brain.

During glaucoma, damage usually occurs as a result of elevated pressure of the fluid (aqueous humor) in the eye. This damage results in gradual visual changes and then loss of vision.

TYPES OF GLAUCOMA

There are many types of Glaucoma, but the two most common types are open-angle glaucoma and closed angle (angle-closure) glaucoma.

Acute angle Glaucoma Public domain: Wikipedia commons

Open angle Glaucoma, (also called primary open-angle glaucoma and chronic glaucoma) accounts for 90 percent of all glaucoma cases and occurs when the trabecular meshwork becomes blocked and fluid can’t get to the normal drainage canals. This blockage results in fluid build-up and intraocular pressure. The fluid build-up happens gradually.

Closed angle Glaucoma, (also called acute glaucoma or angle closure glaucoma), account for about 9 percent of all glaucoma cases and occurs when the opening between the cornea and iris narrows, such that the fluid cannot get to the trabecular meshwork and normal drainage channels. This narrowing results in fluid build-up and intraocular pressure. The fluid build-up happens very quickly.

Symptoms of Glaucoma

Known as the ‘sneak thief’ of sight, open-angle glaucoma has no early warning signs or symptoms. However, as the diseases progresses, a person may experience:

● Tiny blind spots at the edges of the visual field (peripheral or side vision) that slowly get larger and spread

●Blurred vision

● Appearance of colored halos around lights

● Adjustment problems on entering a dark room

●Repeated difficulties that new eyeglass prescriptions do not help

However, the symptoms of closed angle glaucoma are:

●Severely blurred vision

●Severe eye and head pain

●Nausea and vomiting

●Appearance of rainbow-colored halos around bright lights

●Rapid loss of vision

Causes and Risk Factors for Glaucoma

Several factors that can put a person ‘at risk’ for developing glaucoma:

Public domain: wikipedia commons

● Family History of Glaucoma: there is a 20 percent chance of developing glaucoma if a parent had it, and 50 percent chance if a sibling has it.

● Age: If the person is 65 to 79 years of age, there is a 3 percent chance of developing glaucoma. If the person is 80 years of age or older, there is a 14 percent chance of developing glaucoma.

●Medical Conditions: Medical conditions such as morning headaches, diabetes, lupus, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, myopia (near sightedness), and high blood pressure can cause glaucoma.

●Race: blacks are 3-4 times more likely to develop glaucoma then Caucasians. Asians and Eskimos are more likely to develop glaucoma than Caucasians.

●Abnormally high intraocular pressure

●Previous eye injuries

●Recurrent blurry vision

●Pain around the eyes after watching TV or leaving a dark theatre

Treatment

●Have a test every 1-4 years if you are between the ages of 40 and 65.

●Have a test every 1-2 years if you: have a family history of glaucoma, are a Black or Asian ancestry, have diabetes or a chronic inflammatory disease, have had previous serious eye injury, are taking steroids.

Conventional surgery to treat Glaucoma Public domain: Wikipedia commons

Most patients with glaucoma require only medication to control the eye pressure. Sometimes, several medications that complement each other are necessary to reduce the pressure adequately.

Surgery is indicated when medical treatment fails to lower the pressure satisfactorily. There are several types of procedures, some involves laser and can be done in the office, others must be performed in the operating room. The objective of any glaucoma operation is to allow fluid to drain from the eye more efficiently.

NB: Please have a chat with any of the Doctors on air-clinic if you are experiencing any of the symptoms above or any other complains that has to do with the eye.

Thank you for reading!

References for further reading

https://nei.nih.gov/health/glaucoma/glaucoma_facts

https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/glaucoma-eyes

https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/glaucoma.htm

https://www.glaucoma.org.au/about-glaucoma/what-is-glaucoma/

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