Glaucoma Information

Glaucoma is an eye disease. It concerns the group of optic nerves and may cause total blindness when not treated immediately. Glaucoma is the top cause of blindness. Its manner of impairing vision gradually, which is only recognizable when the condition is in an advanced stage, makes it even more difficult for people to champion the disease.

Glaucoma may happen at any age but it is more likely to occur with old age. People beyond 80 have one in ten chances of contracting the disease. In people aged 50 and below, the ratio is 1 is to 200. Glaucoma is also found more frequently in women than in men. The scientific explanation for this is that women have shallow anterior chambers.

There are several types of Glaucoma named Open Angle, Acute Angle Closure, Secondary, and Congenital.

Open Angle Glaucoma is the most common type found in afflicted patients. This type of Glaucoma is characterized by a fluid build up in the anterior chamber, raising intraocular pressure in the process.

Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma is less likely to occur. Only about 10% of the total Glaucoma patients have been found with this type. In this case, Glaucoma occurs due to an abnormality in the front side of the eye. The flow of aqueous fluid is mostly disturbed due to the small space between the cornea and the iris, which in turn causes the intraocular pressure to rise sharply.

Secondary Glaucoma occurs alongside another health condition. Glaucoma that stems from Diabetes, tumors, use of certain drugs, inflammation, and trauma all account for this specific type. In this case the treatment must not be directed solely to Glaucoma or to the underlying disease but to both.

Congenital Glaucoma is another rare type that has been seen in newborn infants. Most of the time, Congenital Glaucoma is cured through the aid of surgery.

Glaucoma stems from a host of causes. Strong family history of the disease will make you susceptible to become afflicted yourself. Diabetes is also a significant factor that increases a person’s risk to develop Glaucoma. People of African and Asian descent are also more likely to contract the disease than their Caucasian counterparts. Clinical studies have also shown a correlation between Glaucoma and hypertension or high blood pressure.

People with imminent risk factors for Glaucoma must undergo regular consultations with an eye care specialist to ensure utmost safety even with the absence of symptoms. It is especially important for anyone to seek medical attention when the symptoms start to arise.

Glaucoma is mostly sees as the cause of sudden vision impairment, extreme eye pain, headache, nausea, vomiting, and utmost sensitivity to light. Congenital Glaucoma has different manifestations such as tearing and cornea enlargement.

Since Glaucoma does not show noticeable difference at the onset, early detection and diagnosis is almost impossible. You can be safe, however, by submitting yourself voluntarily for annual eye check-ups as soon as you reach 40. A series of tests and examinations are required in order to validate the doctor’s suspicion. In these tests, the health of the optic nerves and the patient’s peripheral vision are look upon aside from measuring the intraocular pressure.

Glaucoma patients mostly require treatment through medication. Drugs that are meant to control intraocular pressure are prescribed usually in oral form for this cause. Sometimes a combination of different medications is used to reduce the eye pressure completely.

When use of medication fails, surgery is an option. Surgical procedures that are done to treat Glaucoma come in many different forms. Some are laser treatments that can easily be handled in the doctor’s office while the others require an operating room.

Glaucoma treatments are headed to one objective only. That is to reduce intraocular pressure by allowing the fluid to drain smoothly.

As of the moment, no absolute cure has been found to battle Glaucoma. All the available treatments are only meant to control the progress of the condition, taking the patient’s eyesight in the process. Then again, temporary solutions for Glaucoma are important to protect a patient from abrupt blindness.

It is harder to deal with Glaucoma when an underlying condition triggered it. You would not only mind your eye disorders but your other health condition as well. In this case, you must be closely communicating with a separate specialist for both of your problems. This is because some medications that will be used for one or the other may counteract and account for more complicated problems in the future.

There is really no absolute preventive measure that will protect you against Glaucoma. Looking through intraocular pressure regularly is not a threshold. Nerve damage was seen in patients who have relatively low eye pressure. On the opposite, patients with high eye pressure have had it for year but not yet develop the condition. Your only resort therefore, is to submit yourself for check-ups even without the presence of symptoms.

Making sure that your eyes are healthy with no abnormal activities will keep you sleeping soundly at night. This is especially significant with such a life-altering condition as Glaucoma. Loosing your eyesight is not a small thing. It can change your lifestyle and your self-worth in an instant. It also helps a lot if you keep your total body’s health in an optimum level. Not having the risk factors for other conditions that may cause the development of Glaucoma could save you great loads. If need be, alter your eating habits and your lifestyle to become a healthy one. Avoid damaging food, drugs, and substances while boosting your physical activity.

In the end, taking care of your health counts a lot. If you know how to manage your every day without inviting toxins to enter your body, you will have greater chances at being healthy forever. Even old age can never take away good health if you have built it in strongly in childhood and way through your adulthood. Glaucoma is one disease that has no cure. Never keep yourself open to contract this lifelong, disabling disease.