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What is Glaucoma? |
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Symptoms
Glaucoma is an eye condition which involves a very gradual loss of sight, and it is the most common cause for vision loss. Open-angle glaucoma is the most prevalent, showing no dramatic indications, and many patients were not even aware that they had the condition, up to the point when their visual acuity is severely compromised. The pressure on the eye increases, causing further damage to the optic nerve; the person progressively loses peripheral vision, eventually leading to tunnel vision and loss of sight. On the other hand, acute angle-closure glaucoma can cause immediate and permanent loss of vision once it attacks, and is usually indicated by pain, blurry vision, the presence of a halo when staring into light, eye redness, queasiness, and vomiting.
Causes
Glaucoma occurs when the normal pressure on the eyes is disturbed by a malfunction in the way the organ drains out the fluids which keep the pressure stabilized (the vitreous and aqueous humor). In primary open-angled glaucoma, the drain valve stays open, and the aqueous humor exits it too slowly. The buildup of fluids causes increased pressure which ends up as exerted on the eye. The exact cause for this type is still unknown, but it is widely believed that the fluid drains out or is absorbed with less efficiency as a person ages. Angle-closure glaucoma happens when the drain valve is obstructed, and usually the person who experiences this already has a very narrow valve to begin with, possibly through a birth anomaly.
Diagnosis
A series of diagnostic tests may be conducted in order to determine or assess any damage. Tonometry is usually the first procedure, wherein the patient places the eye against an apparatus with a cone which produces a sliver of light; the eye pressure is gauged by the amount of pressure which the cone applies in order to flatten the cornea. The fibers of the optic nerve are then examined for damage through an ophthalmoscope or biomicroscope, instruments which allow for a direct view of the optic nerve behind the eyeball, revealing aberrations which can be indicative of glaucoma. The patient’s field of vision may also be mapped with a tangent screen perimetry (a screen with a focus point); the doctor then moves an object in and out of the screen in order to determine if the patient has difficulty with certain areas of vision. The thickness of the cornea may also be measured with a pachmetry test.
Treatment Info
There are several ways for treating glaucoma, each with the purpose of bringing the pressure back to normal levels, by improving the drainage of fluids, minimizing its production, or both. These may involve eyedrops, systemic drugs, surgical methods, laser treatments, or any combination of these. Once it occurs, there is no cure for glaucoma, and any potential damage due to it is irreparable. Treatment in this sense is given to control its progression. Patients with minimal elevations in eye pressure, a complete field of vision, and undamaged optic nerves usually do not require treatment, but may have to undergo maintenance checkups in order to spot potential changes.
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