INFORMATION ON GLAUCOMA

Glaucoma refers to a group of disorders that lead to damage to the optic nerve, the nerve that carries visual information from the eye to the brain. Damage to the optic nerve causes vision loss, which may progress to blindness. Most people with glaucoma have increased fluid pressure in the eye, a condition known as increased intraocular pressure. Although raised intraocular pressure is a significant risk factor for developing glaucoma, there is no set threshold for intraocular pressure that causes glaucoma. One person may develop nerve damage at a relatively low pressure, while another person may have high eye pressures for years and yet never develop damage. Untreated glaucoma leads to permanent damage of the optic nerve and resultant visual field loss, which can progress to blindness.

SYNONYMS OF GLAUCOMA

The synonyms of glaucoma are:
1. Exfoliation glaucoma.
2. Pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.
3. Capsular glaucoma.
4. Open angle glaucoma.
5. Chronic glaucoma.
6. Closed angle glaucoma.
7. Congenital glaucoma.

CAUSES OF GLAUCOMA

Causes of glaucoma include:
The aging process reduces the size of the eye’s drainage angle, resulting in increased intraocular pressure.
Most cases of glaucoma occur because the flow of fluid out of the eye becomes restricted and the pressure within the eye rises. This pressure causes damage to the optic nerve.
Several genetic factors can contribute to glaucoma. Mutations in the GLC1A gene cause it to overproduce a substance that clogs the angle where fluid drains from the eye. In addition, the LMX1B gene is believed to cause some cases of glaucoma.
Low levels of nitric oxide contribute to unhealthy blood vessels, which in turn elevate intraocular pressure.
Nutritional deficiencies may cause damage to optic nerve fibers.
Brain chemical abnormalities.

SYMPTOMS OF GLAUCOMA

Symptoms of Glaucoma are:
1. Severe headache.
2. Tender eyeball.
3. Hard eyeball.
4. Vision deterioration.
5. Red eye.
6. Swollen eye.
7. Blurred vision.
8. Foggy vision.
9. Sensitivity to light.
10. Difficulty adjusting to brightness.
11. Halos around bright lights.
12. Mild eye pain.
13. Mild one-sided eye pain.
14. Nausea.
15. Headaches.
16. Halos around objects.
17. Blurred vision.
18. Severe eye pain.

DIAGNOSIS OF GLAUCOMA

Diagnosis of glaucoma can be done as:

1 Eye Pressure Examination: Eye Pressure Examination is done and if your eye pressure is high, you are at greater risk of developing glaucoma.

2 Drainage Pathway Examinations: In the most common form of glaucoma, open angle glaucoma, the drainage pathway appears open.

3 Optic Nerve Examinations: The optic nerve undergoes recognizable changes that are important to diagnose and monitor glaucoma, and to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment over time.

4 Visual Field Examinations:The visual field test checks for defective areas of vision. Vision loss from glaucoma will be missed by standard vision testing with an eye chart, since reading is not affected until the very late stages.

TREATMENT OF GLAUCOMA

The treatment for glaucoma depends upon the nature and severity of each case. Eye drops, pills, laser procedures, and surgical operations are used to prevent or slow further damage from occurring. With any type of glaucoma, regular eye examinations are very important to detect progression and to prevent vision loss.

Other treatment are:
Medicines can be used for treatment such as eye drops and other eyes medicines.
Laser surgery is also effective for glaucoma treatment.
When operative surgery is needed to treat glaucoma, your ophthalmologist will use a microscope and specialized instruments to create a new bypass drainage channel for the eye fluid to leave the eye.