Glaucoma is a condition in which high intraocular pressure leads to permanent damage to the eye’s optic nerve which transmits to the brain. Normally, the fluid, called aqueous humor, flows out of your eye through a mesh-like channel. If this channel gets blocked, the liquid builds up and intraocular pressure rises. Glaucoma tends to be inherited and may not show up until later in life.

Glaucoma is a condition in which high intraocular pressure leads to permanent damage to the eye’s optic nerve which transmits https://katariahospital.com/images to the brain. Normally, the fluid, called aqueous humor, flows out of your eye through a mesh-like channel. If this channel gets blocked, the liquid builds up and intraocular pressure rises. Glaucoma tends to be inherited and may not show up until later in life.

If the damage continues, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss. Without treatment, glaucoma can cause permanent blindness within few years. Thankfully good treatment options are available these days but it is important that it is diagnosed in time.

As most people with glaucoma have no early symptoms or pain, it is important to check your eye regularly so that your doctor can diagnose and treat glaucoma before long-term visual loss happens.

If you’re over age 40 and have a family history of the disease or having diabetes, you should get a complete eye exam from an eye doctor every 1 to 2 years

Blunt or chemical injury to your eye, severe eye infection, blocked blood vessels inside the eye, and inflammatory conditions can also lead to glaucoma

What Are the Types of Glaucoma?

There are two main kinds:

Open-angle glaucoma – It’s the most common type. The drain structure in your eye, it’s called the trabecular meshwork – looks normal, but fluid doesn’t flow out like it should.

Angle-closure glaucoma – Common in Asian population also called as acute or chronic angle-closure or narrow-angle glaucoma. Aqueous fluid which is continuously being formed cannot drain right because the drain space between the iris and cornea becomes too narrow. This can cause a sudden buildup of pressure in the eye. It’s also linked to farsightedness and cataracts, a clouding of the lens inside your eye. Symptoms- If you have any of the following symptoms, seek immediate medical care:

  1. Seeing halos around lights
  2. Vision loss
  3. Redness in the eye
  4. Eye that looks hazy (particularly in infants)
  5. Nausea or vomiting
  6. Eye pain
  7. Narrowed vision (tunnel vision)

Can anyone with normal eye pressure develop Glaucoma?

Some people can tolerate higher levels of eye pressure better than others. Also, a certain level of eye pressure may be high for one person but normal for another. Whether you develop glaucoma depends on the level of pressure your optic nerve can tolerate without being damaged.

How is Glaucoma diagnosed?

Comprehensive Eye Examination is required to diagnose Glaucoma. All kinds of diagnostic facilities like OCT Retinal nerve fibre layer analysis /Visual field analysis/Gonioscopy/Non contact Tonometry/Applanation tonometry / pachymetry are available at Kataria Hospital .

What are the Treatment Options for Glaucoma?

As of now, lost vision can’t be restored. However, lowering eye pressure can help preserve the remaining eyesight. Most people with glaucoma who follow their treatment and have regular eye checkups don’t go blind.

Treatment options to lower Pressure in the eye include

  1. Prescription eye drops
  2. Laser surgery, or microsurgery

Eye drops– These either reduce the formation of aqueous fluid in the eye or increase its outflow, thereby lowering eye pressure. Side effects may include allergies, redness, stinging, blurred vision, and irritated eyes. Some glaucoma drugs may affect your heart and lungs. Be sure to tell your doctor about any other medications you’re taking or are allergic to.

Laser surgery– This procedure can slightly increase the flow of the fluid from the eye for people with open-angle glaucoma. It can stop fluid blockage if you have angle-closure glaucoma. Procedures include:

Trabeculoplasty– Opens the drainage area

Iridotomy– Makes a tiny hole in the iris to let fluid flow more freely

Cyclophotocoagulation– Treats areas of the middle layer of your eye to reduce fluid production

Microsurgery– In a procedure called a trabeculectomy, a new channel is created to drain the fluid and decrease the eye pressure IOP. Glaucoma shunt or Implants are also used in some cases.

All the latest Medical & Surgical treatment for glaucoma is done at Kataria Eye and ENT Hospital with excellent results.

As most people with glaucoma have no early symptoms or pain, it is important to check your eye regularly so that your doctor can diagnose and treat glaucoma before long-term visual loss happens.