Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a serious eye disease. It affects he optic never, the part of eye that carries the images we see to the brain. The optic nerve is made up of many never fibres, like an electric cable that consists of numerous wires sending signals to the brain for creating visuals.
Types of Glaucoma
Chronic open-angle glaucoma
It is when the drainage angle of the eye becomes less efficient over timeand the eye becomes sensitive even to normal eye pressure; there is a risk of damage. Treatment is necessary to prevent further vision loss.
Typically, open-angle glaucoma shows no symptoms in its early stages, and vision remains normal. However, as the optic nerve is gradually damaged and blank spots begin to appear in the field of vision. You typically won’t notice these blank spots in your day-to-day activities, until the optic nerve is significantly damaged, and the spots become large. If all the optic nerve fibres die, it will result in irreversible blindness. The risk of developing the condition increases with age.
Closed-angle glaucoma
Closed-angle glaucoma In some people, the iris is too close to the drainage angle. Such eyes, which are often small and farsighted, the iris can be pushed forward, blocking the drainage channel completely. Since the fluid cannot escape the eye, pressure inside the eye rapidly builds up and causes an acute closed-angle attack.
The symptoms may include:
Blurred vision
Severe eye pain
Headache
Rainbow-colored halos around lights
Nausea and vomiting
If you have any of these symptoms, call your ophthalmologist immediately. If this type of glaucoma is not quickly treated, it will result in blindness. Two-thirds of those with closed-angle glaucoma develop it slowly without any symptoms prior to an attack.
Causes of Glaucoma
A clear liquid called aqueous humor circulates inside the front portion of the eye. Now, to maintain a healthy level of pressure within the eye, a small amount of this fluid is constantly produced, while an equal amount flows out of the eye through a microscopic drainage system.
Because the eye is a closed structure, if the drainage area for the aqueous humor-called the drainage angle-is blocked, the excess fluid cannot flow out of the eye causing increase in the fluid pressure within the eye, pushing against the optic never and causing damage.
Risk Factors for Glaucoma
The most important risk factors include:
Age
Elevated eye pressure
Family history of glaucoma
African or Hispanic ancestry
Farsightedness or near-sightedness
Past eye injuries
Thinner central corneal thickness
Systemic health problems, including diabetes, migraine headaches, and poor circulation
Pre-existing thinning of the optic nerve
Diagnosing Glaucoma
Regular eye examinations by ophthalmologist are the best way to detect glaucoma. It is important to mention that just a glaucoma screening that checks only the pressure of the eye is not sufficient to determine if you have glaucoma. The only certain way to detect glaucoma is a complete eye examination and which may include:
Measure IOP
Inspect the drainage angle of the eye
Evaluate whether or not there is any optic nerve damage
Test the peripheral vision of each eye
Photography of the optic nerve or other computerized imaging may be recommended