Important things to know - Glaucoma, its early signs and treatment etc!!
Posted on: 25/Nov/2023 9:27:26 AM
Have you come across the term Silent thief of sight?
If not, then this article would throw some light on that. If you have been wondering what`s silent thief is, then the answer is glaucoma. Shocking isn`t it!!
It is noteworthy that glaucoma is a complex group of eye conditions that would silently encroach upon the vision and damage the optic nerve. It is referred to as the silent thief of sight because it would make a person lose his or her sight or vision totally if left untreated. Not many would be aware of the fact that glaucoma is the second leading reason for blindness in persons across the world.
There are mainly 4 types of glaucoma like open angle glaucoma, closed angle or angle closure glaucoma, congenital glaucoma and genital glaucoma.
Various signs of glaucoma are
Changes in vision:
It must be noted that glaucoma could lead to peripheral vision loss in persons. The bitter truth is that this could even go unnoticed until it reaches the advanced stage.
Elevated intraocular pressure or EIOP:
Point is that an increased IPO could lead to glaucoma in us. Not everybody with elevated IOP would develop glaucoma and there are some who might develop glaucoma even with normal IOP.
Optic nerve damage:
It is worthy to note that changes in the appearance of the optic nerve head like cupping or excavation could result in glaucoma.
Who is at risk of developing glaucoma?
Those above the age of 60 have more chances of developing glaucoma, those with family history, ethnicity like Asian, Africans etc could develop glaucoma. Persons with BP, diabetes, heart disease etc could develop glaucoma more than others.
Treatment:
Eye drops could be used to treat glaucoma. Eye drops would lower IOP by producing aqueous humour or reducing the drainage etc.
Laser therapy:
This is also another important method to treat glaucoma. The person would have to wait for 4to 6 weeks to know whether this method of treatment is successful or not.
Surgery:
Lifestyle considerations:
It must be noted that exercise or regular physical activity is associated with lower risk of glaucoma. Exercises like jogging, running, swimming, climbing and coming down the stairs etc that would increase the blood circulation would be superb. Point is that smoking is associated with an increased risk of glaucoma.
