Glaucoma Treatments, Diagnosis and Symptoms

Glaucoma patients suffer optic nerve impairment due to fluid buildup in their eyes. This eye pressure can permanently impair eyesight if it is not treated. The second most common cause of blindness worldwide is Glaucoma. Surgery, eyedrops, laser therapy, and other therapies can stop vision loss in its tracks and save your sight.

What is Glaucoma?

The optic nerve in the back of the eye can be damaged by several eye disorders, called Glaucoma, which can lead to vision loss and blindness.

You might notice the signs later since they appear gradually. Only a complete, dilated eye examination can reveal if you have Glaucoma.

Even though Glaucoma has no known treatment, early detection and treatment can frequently restore eyesight.

What are the types of Glaucoma?

There are five main forms of Glaucoma. Which are:

(Chronic) Open-Angle Glaucoma: Progressive vision loss is the only symptom of open-angle Glaucoma, often known as chronic Glaucoma. The slow progression of this loss may cause lasting harm to your vision before any other symptoms show. The most common type of Glaucoma, according to the National Eye Institute's (NEI) Trusted Source.
(Acute) Angle-Closure Glaucoma: If the passage of your aqueous humour fluid is suddenly restricted, there could be a considerable, quick, and painful rise in pressure due to the rapid buildup of fluid. Angle-closure Glaucoma is a medical emergency; call your doctor for symptoms like severe pain, nausea, or impaired vision.
Birth imperfections Glaucoma: inadequacy in birth Congenital glaucoma is a condition where an abnormality in the eye's angle slows or prevents normal fluid drainage. Congenital Glaucoma manifests as cloudy eyes, excessive weeping, or light sensitivity. Congenital Glaucoma can run in families.
Subsequent Glaucoma: Glaucoma that Develops Later is typically brought on by trauma or another eye condition, such as cataracts or tumors. Drugs like corticosteroids can also cause this particular form of Glaucoma. Glaucoma rarely arises as a result of eye surgery.
Glaucoma with normal tension: Glaucoma can infrequently cause an optic nerve injury in people with normal eye pressure. Its genesis is a mystery. However, your optic nerve's excessive sensitivity to light or insufficient blood supply could cause this type of Glaucoma.

What causes Glaucoma?

A clear fluid known as aqueous humor is continuously produced at the back of your eye. When it is created, your eye's anterior segment is filled with this fluid. It exits your eye through channels in your iris and cornea. The natural pressure in your eye, known as intraocular pressure (IOP), may rise if these channels are closed or partially occluded. You run the risk of damaging your optic nerve as your IOP rises. You could start losing vision in your eye if the nerve damage worsens.

It's not always clear what raises the pressure in your eyes. However, physicians think that one or more of the following may be involved:

Eyedrops for dilation
Obstructed or constrained eye drainage
Prescription drugs like corticosteroids
Inadequate or diminished blood supply to your optic nerve
Raised or high blood pressure

Glaucoma symptoms

Most people with open-angle Glaucoma don't have any symptoms. If symptoms do appear, they often do so toward the end of the illness. Due to this, Glaucoma is frequently called the "sneak thief of vision." Loss of side vision, or peripheral vision, is frequently the predominant symptom.

Angle-closure glaucoma symptoms typically appear sooner and are more pronounced. Damage may happen very quickly. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms:

Observing haloes surrounding lights
Loss of vision
Your eye is red.
An eye that appears fuzzy (especially in newborns)
Stomach pain or vomiting
Eye discomfort

Do I have a glaucoma risk?

Even though everyone can get Glaucoma, some people are more vulnerable. You are more vulnerable if you are older than 60, especially if you identify as Hispanic or Latino, older than 40, and of African American ancestry.

Has Glaucoma run in your family?

Discuss your risk of developing Glaucoma with your doctor and ask them how regularly you should have your eyes checked. If you're at higher risk every one to two years, you should undergo a comprehensive dilated eye exam.

What are the glaucoma risk factors?

Anyone can develop Glaucoma, but the risk rises with age. Black and Hispanic persons are much more prone than other ethnic groups to get Glaucoma, which frequently strikes them early in life. Angle-closure Glaucoma, sometimes called closed-angle Glaucoma, is more common in people of Asian and Inuit heritage.

Glaucoma is twice as likely to develop in people with diabetes. Other danger signs consist of the following:

Glaucoma runs in the family.
Hyperopia or farsightedness (for closed-angle Glaucoma).
Both extremely low blood pressure (hypotension) and high blood pressure (hypertension).
Corticosteroid usage over an extended period.
Myopia or nearsightedness (for open-angle Glaucoma).
Prior eye surgery or damage.

How is Glaucoma diagnosed?

Your ophthalmologist will want to conduct a thorough eye exam to identify Glaucoma. They'll look for deterioration indicators, such as nerve tissue loss. Additionally, they could make use of a few of the following tests and techniques:

Comprehensive Medical History: Your current symptoms and any personal or family history of Glaucoma will interest your doctor. To ascertain whether any additional medical issues, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, may impact your eye health, they will also request a general health check.
Tonometry test: These examinations detect the pressure inside your eye.
Test of Pachymetry
Those who have thin corneas are more susceptible to Glaucoma. Your doctor can determine if your corneas are thinner than normal using a pachymetry test.
Height Test: By testing both your peripheral or side and central vision, this examination, also known as a visual field test, can inform your doctor whether Glaucoma impacts your eyesight.
Keep an Eye on Your Optic Nerve: Your doctor may take pictures of your optic nerve to make a side-by-side comparison over time to check for subtle alterations to your optic nerve.

Glaucoma treatment

The most popular treatment for open-angle Glaucoma is a mix of eye drops, laser trabeculoplasty, and microsurgery. Most patients' first line of treatment is usually medicine, but early laser surgery or microsurgery may be more effective.

Drops for the eyes. These either accelerate the fluid's passage out of your eye or reduce its production, decreasing ocular pressure. Side effects include allergies, redness, stinging, blurred vision, and itchy eyes. Some glaucoma medications may impact your heart and lungs. Tell your doctor about your current drugs and other medical conditions because drug interactions could occur. Additionally, let them know if you need help adhering to a regimen that calls for using two or three different eye drops or if there are any negative side effects. They can alter the course of your care.

Drugs taken orally. Additionally, your doctor might advise you to take oral medications like a beta-blocker or a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. These medications can facilitate fluid drainage or inhibit fluid production in your eye.

Laser procedure. If you have open-angle Glaucoma, this technique can modestly enhance fluid flow from your eye. If you suffer from angle-closure Glaucoma, it can prevent fluid blockage. Procedures consist of:

Trabeculoplasty. The drainage area is now accessible.
Iridotomy. Your iris will become slightly perforated, allowing more fluid to pass through.
Cyclophotocoagulation. It reduces fluid production in specific regions of the middle layer of your eye.

Microsurgery. Your doctor constructs a new channel to drain the fluid and lower eye pressure during a treatment known as a trabeculectomy. There may be a need for multiple instances of this kind of surgery. Your doctor may implant a tube to assist with fluid drainage. In addition to bleeding or infection, this procedure has the potential to result in temporary or permanent vision loss.

Minimally invasive procedures for Glaucoma. This type of surgery is more recent and less intrusive; it typically calls for small incisions and employs invisible equipment to the human eye. Although generally faster and safer, it won't significantly reduce pressure. Additionally, the operation can be performed concurrently with another procedure, such as cataract surgery.

Typically, a laser technique is used to treat acute angle-closure Glaucoma.

Surgery is frequently used to treat infant or congenital Glaucoma, a condition that affects you from birth and is brought on by an issue with your drainage system.

Glaucoma and Marijuana

Research from the 1970s claimed that marijuana use could relieve eye pressure. But to significantly reduce ocular pressure, considerably more would be required. Additionally, it reduces blood pressure, which could negate any benefits from marijuana by reducing the amount of blood your optic nerve receives.

There is no scientific proof that marijuana is more effective than current treatments, according to reviews by the National Eye Institute and Institute of Medicine.

Workouts could reduce glaucoma risk.

Can the risk of Glaucoma be decreased? According to a recent European study, exercise helps increase blood flow to the body and the eyes, lowering the risk of some people developing Glaucoma.

You can lessen your risk for Glaucoma by quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and leading an active lifestyle in addition to frequent exercise and physical activity.

Conclusion

Glaucoma is a dangerous eye ailment that, if not detected and treated promptly, can cause blindness and visual loss; Regular eye exams are crucial for early detection because it often has high intraocular pressure and can manifest with no symptoms. Prescription medications, laser therapy, surgery, and dietary changes are among the available treatments to decrease intraocular pressure and protect the optic nerve. Glaucoma sufferers can maintain a respectable quality of life by carefully managing their illness and following their treatment plan.

Casey Optical Too, LLC is dedicated to providing the community with top-notch optometry services. Our long-standing commitment to quality, coupled with a warm and inviting atmosphere, ensures that all your eye care needs are met with care and expertise. Don't miss the opportunity to experience the best in optometry—schedule an appointment with our esteemed optometrists in Albuquerque, New Mexico, today.

Next Post Previous Post