This yr World Glaucoma Week will run from eleventh March – seventeenth March and its objective is to lift consciousness of this eye situation. Right here I’ll undergo what glaucoma is and the way it may be handled.

What Is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a typical eye situation the place the optic nerve, that is the nerve that connects the eyes to the mind, turns into broken. Glaucoma is usually brought on by a construct up of strain within the attention. The attention ball itself accommodates a fluid which the attention is frequently producing, and any extra fluid is drained away by means of tubes. When this extra fluid can’t be drained away as regular it builds inside the eye, which in flip, will increase the attention strain, additionally referred to as intraocular strain (IOP). The surplus fluid can then harm the optic nerve which might trigger imaginative and prescient loss and if left untreated may cause blindness.

Sorts of Glaucoma

There are numerous sorts of glaucoma and the primary 4 are:

1. Persistent Open-Angle Glaucoma – this kind of glaucoma is the commonest and develops slowly over time.

2. Main Angle-Closure Glaucoma – this kind of glaucoma is uncommon and may develop slowly like open-angle glaucoma, however it might additionally develop in a short time with a sudden onset of painful strain inside the eye.

3. Secondary Glaucoma – this kind of glaucoma is precipitated on account of an eye fixed harm/trauma or as a secondary to a different eye situation.

4. Congenital Glaucoma – this kind of glaucoma is one other uncommon kind growing in kids and is generally precipitated as a consequence of an abnormality of the attention.

Signs of Glaucoma

For many individuals that develop glaucoma, particularly with the commonest kind, there could also be no signs initially. Signs develop slowly over time and can solely then begin to have an effect on the peripheral imaginative and prescient. For that reason, it’s crucial for everybody, particularly these with a household historical past of glaucoma, to go to an eye fixed clinic no less than each two years as that is typically the place the place glaucoma is picked up first. Aside from the commonest kind of glaucoma and its signs, generally extra uncommon glaucoma can have a sudden onset of signs similar to a headache, nausea, eye ache, blurred imaginative and prescient, and purple eyes. If any of those signs are skilled it is important to see an ophthalmologist or optician as quickly as doable.

Therapies for Glaucoma

As quickly as glaucoma has been recognized, there can be therapy choices mentioned.

1. Eye Drops – treating glaucoma with eye drops might be the commonest therapy and can doubtless be what nearly all of individuals can be began on at prognosis of the situation. Eye drops assist decrease the eyes inner strain and preserve this underneath management to keep away from the construct up of strain damaging the optic nerve. You will need to comply with the precise directions given by the attention specialist when utilizing these drops to verify they’re as efficient as doable.

2. Laser Remedy – if eye drops usually are not being efficient sufficient in treating glaucoma, then laser therapy could also be supplied. There are two sorts of laser therapy that may be executed for glaucoma; the primary is utilizing the laser to open the blocked tubes, that are used to empty the eyes fluid, by making small holes within the tubes thus permitting extra fluid to be drained. The second choice is to make use of the laser to destroy a few of the tissue that makes the fluid, which permits much less fluid to be produced and in flip lowers the eyes strain.

3. Surgical procedure – the final choice which may be supplied is surgical procedure to enhance drainage. There are numerous surgical choices, however the commonest one is named a trabeculectomy. Throughout this surgical procedure a few of the trabecular meshwork (tubes to empty the fluid) are eliminated which then permits for regular drainage of the fluid and lowers the inner eye strain.

There isn’t a strategy to forestall glaucoma, however early detection of the situation and therapy may help guarantee it’s managed, cease imaginative and prescient getting worse, and forestall any additional harm. Any broken beforehand brought on by glaucoma to the optic nerve can’t be reversed.

Should you suspect any signs of glaucoma be sure you e book an appointment along with your eye clinic and all the time attend common eye checks.