WHAT IS GLAUCOMA?

 

Glaucoma is a condition where the pressure inside the eye can harm the nerve that helps you see. It can lead to weak eyesight and even permanent vision loss if not caught early. Although it’s often hereditary and doesn’t show symptoms at first, regular eye check-ups can help detect and start treatment before it affects your vision.

 

WHO IS AT RISK?

  • Glaucoma commonly impacts people over 40, but it can also pose a risk to children, infants, and young adults.
  • Individuals with a family history of glaucoma.
  • People with either long-sightedness or short-sightedness.
  • People with blurry eyesight.
  • Individuals with Diabetes.
  • People with high blood pressure, heart problems, or sickle cell disease.
  • High Eye Pressure
  • Taking medication for seizures, bladder control, or colds.
  • Experienced head or eye injuries in the past.
  • Corneas that are thinner than usual.

 

SYMPTOMS

  • Frequent change in the Eyeglass prescriptions, Headaches, Redness of Eyes, and Pain.
  • Eye discomfort when transitioning from a dark environment to a bright one (like from a movie theater to the outside).
  • Hazy Eyes especially in Infants
  • Upset Stomach / Vomiting
  • Seeing coloured Halo Rings around light bulbs during the night and in the mornings.
  • Experiencing poor vision in the dark or in low light conditions is a notable sign of Glaucoma
  • Gradual loss of Side Vision

 

INVESTIGATIONS

  • Non-Contact Tonometry (NCT)
  • AT
  • Gonioscopy
  • Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for Glaucoma
  • Visual Field Analysis

 

TREATMENTS

  • Medicine – Medicine is the first resort adopted by doctors for glaucoma treatment at an initial stage. The doctors generally prescribe eye drops, pills, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors or beta-blockers to regulate the drainage of fluids in the eyes or control excessive fluid formation.
  • Laser Trabeculoplasty – This treatment works well for both conditions namely open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma. Laser trabeculoplasty opens the drainage area in the eye. A high-intensity beam of light is set on the target area to make evenly spaced burns that will open the fluid drainage holes in the meshwork.
  • Glaucoma Filtering Surgery – In glaucoma surgery, a new opening for the fluids to flow properly in the eye is made via surgery. A small tissue is removed to create a new passage for the fluid to drain properly in the eye.