Understanding Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a group of diseases that result in ongoing optic nerve damage. The optic nerve’s role in transmitting visual information to the brain is crucial for clear vision. Therefore any optic nerve damage can lead to vision loss and potential blindness.
Glaucoma optic nerve damage is commonly associated with elevated eye pressure. However, some individuals with “normal tension glaucoma” may have “normal” eye pressure.
Causes
Symptoms
In acute glaucoma, symptoms often include severe eye pain, headache, nausea, vomiting, and blurred vision.
Types of Glaucoma
A severely damaged optic nerve which connects the eye to the brain. Once the optic nerve is damaged, visual loss is irreversible.
Chronic glaucoma affects the peripheral visual field. As the loss of peripheral visual field is gradual, it often happens without the individual realizing. Eventually vision is completely and permanently lost.
Who is at risk?
Glaucoma is more commonly seen in middle-aged and elderly people. Genetics plays a significant part in glaucoma. This means that individuals who have relatives with glaucoma have a higher risk of developing glaucoma.
People who have obstructive sleep apnoea and other medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or cardiovascular disease are also at risk. Highly myopic (short-sighted) people also have an increased risk of glaucoma.
Individuals with risk factors should consider glaucoma screening so that any disease can be diagnosed and treated early.
Glaucoma visual field test shows normal field in the left eye and a large areas of lost visual field (black areas) due to glaucoma in the right eye.Treatment Options
- Eyedrops: Modern eyedrops are now extremely effective in lowering eye pressure. This slows down or stops further visual field loss.
- Laser Treatment: May be used to complement the use of eyedrops or in some cases, eliminate further need for eyedrops.
- Surgery: Considered for those unresponsive to less invasive treatments like eyedrops and laser therapy.
FAQs about Glaucoma
Glaucoma screening is recommended for early diagnosis of this highly treatable condition. You should consider screening if you have relatives with glaucoma.
Other reasons for glaucoma screening are:
- You are 45 years and older, and have never had an eye examination
- You have had previous trauma to the eye
- You have obstructive sleep apnoea, other medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.
- You have dim vision, blurred vision or narrowed side vision
- You have symptoms of acute glaucoma like headaches, eye pain, nausea & vomiting
Although there is no cure for glaucoma, eyedrops are extremely effective in lowering eye pressure as long as they are used religiously. Keeping the eye pressure low will reduce the risk of continued visual loss. Eye pressure will rise again if you stop using the eyedrops.
Therefore, individuals with glaucoma should not stop using their eyedrops without first consulting their eye doctors.
Eye pressure measurement, visual field tests, nerve scans, and detailed eye examinations are necessary on a regular basis to confirm that the disease is under control. Your eye doctor may need to modify your treatment based on these findings.