Glaucoma
Eye Conditions
A complete eye exam includes more than just a "sight test" to assess your prescription for glasses or contact lenses.
Regular visits to your optometrist are the best way to detect eye health problems such as cataracts and glaucoma in time for effective treatment.
These visits could also uncover serious overall health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes or thyroid disorders.
Glaucoma
This animation shows progressive vision damage from untreated glaucoma.
Glaucoma is sometimes called the silent thief because it can slowly steal your sight before you realize anything's wrong. It's a leading cause of vision loss.Glaucoma is a slowly progressive cause of vision loss, usually associated with an elevated pressure in the eye. Loss of side vision generally occurs prior to loss of reading or driving vision.
Glaucoma is not just one disease, but a group of them. The common feature of these diseases is damage to the optic nerve, usually accompanied by an abnormally high pressure inside your eyeball.
Raised Intraocular Pressure
The optic nerve is a bundle of more than a million nerve fibers at the back of your eye.
It's like an electric cable made up of thousands of individual wires carrying the images from the inside back wall of your eyeball (retina) to your brain.
Blind spots develop in your visual field when the optic nerve deteriorates, usually starting with your peripheral (side) vision. If left untreated, glaucoma may lead to blindness in both eyes.
PROTECTING YOUR EYESIGHT SAFEGUARDING YOUR HEALTH |
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WHO IS AT RISK?
Although anyone can get glaucoma, some people have a higher risk, those with :
- a family history of glaucoma
- diabetes
- migraine
- short sightedness (myopia)
- eye injuries
- blood pressure
- past or present use of cortisone drugs (steroids)
People in these groups should have their first eye check no later than the age of 35. For most people, it is recommended to have an eye check for glaucoma by the age of 40.
HOW IS GLAUCOMA DETECTED?
Regular eye examinations are the best way to detect glaucoma early.
A glaucoma test usually includes the following:
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optic nerve check with an ophthalmoscope
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eye pressure check (tonometry)
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visual field assessment if needed - this tests the sensitivity of the side vision, where glaucoma strikes first
CAN GLAUCOMA BE TREATED?
Although there is no cure for glaucoma it can usually be controlled and further loss of sight either prevented or at least slowed down.
Treatments include:
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Eyedrops - these are the most common form of treatment and must be used regularly. In some cases pills are prescribed. The drops can be varied to best suit the patient and the type of glaucoma.
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Laser (laser trabeculoplasty) - this is performed when eye drops do not stop deterioration in the field of vision. In many cases eye drops will need to be continued after laser. Laser does not require a hospital stay.
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Surgery (trabeculectomy) - this is performed usually after eye drops and laser have failed to control the eye pressure. A new channel for the fluid to leave the eye is created.
Treatment can save remaining vision but it does not improve eye sight.
