Glaucoma: A silent vision killer. How to prevent oneself from becoming a victim of this disease

It is true that ‪Glaucoma‬ can be a silent killer for your ‪‎eyes‬ but awareness and early detection can help prevent ‪Vision Loss‬. So, if you experiencing symptoms of Glaucoma, get yourself diagnosed at the earliest. Also, even if your eyes are healthy, then also undergo ‪regular eye checkups‬ to ‪stay healthy‬.

Treating Glaucoma

There are times when primary course of ‪treatment for Glaucoma‬, i.e. medicine (eye drops) and laser surgery is not possible. In that case, the conventional surgery is the only option. In this method, a new opening is made in the eye to ease the flow of fluids which consequently lowers the pressure. Depending upon the condition, the doctor may use one or combination of method to cure ‪‎Glaucoma‬. 

Detecting Glaucoma in the Early Stage can help in Better Treatment

If detected timely, ‪Glaucoma‬ can be treated using medicine, ‪‎Laser Surgery‬ or the conventional ‪Glaucoma Surgery‬. In early stages, Glaucoma can be treated through eye drops which helps in lowering the pressure. The other way to cure this disease is laser surgery in which the fluid built up is eased by draining it out.

Diagnosing Glaucoma

Glaucoma‬ is usually more common in people above 40 years of age, but can also affect people in young age. People having family history of Glaucoma are at a much higher risk of developing this disease. Also, people with problems like ‪High Blood Pressure‬ and ‪‎diabetes‬ or who have been taking steroids for a long time are prone to it.

The best way to protect our ‎eyes‬ from this dangerous disease is ‎Regular Eye Examination‬. During diagnosis, an ophthalmologist examines the eyes and optic nerves to see their condition. Doctor may also perform a procedure called tonometry to check the pressure in eyes. Other than that, ‪Eyesight Checkup‬ and visual field test are done to check for any loss of ‪vision‬.

Identifying symptoms of Glaucoma early, can help preventing complete loss of vision

Glaucoma‬, often referred as ‘sneak thief of vision’, does not show any clear sign till the patient is on verge of losing ‪‎eyesight‬. In the initial phase, there is no pain or difficulty is seeing. But as the condition progresses, the patient gradually starts losing peripheral ‪vision‬. Some symptoms that may be pointing towards Glaucoma are difficulty in seeing in dark places, frequent changes in eye power, narrowing of field of vision, blurred vision, seeing halos around light, pain and redness in eyes, nausea, change in the color of iris, watery eyes, double vision etc.

Why do one develop Glaucoma?

The main reason behind development of ‎Glaucoma‬ is increase in intra-ocular pressure (the pressure of fluid in our eyes). Excessive rise in pressure strangles the nerve fibres, due to which they start dying. As a result, progressive damage occurs which may lead to permanent blindness.

But it is not the sole reason; Glaucoma can occur even if the intraocular pressure is normal. This is called Low-Tension or ‎Normal Tension Glaucoma‬, in which optic nerve damage may occur due to other reasons. Though rare, Glaucoma can also be caused due to a chemical or blunt injury, eye infections, severe eye inflammation or blockage of blood vessels in eyes. 

Glaucoma can cause permanent blindness: Know about it

Glaucoma‬ is one of the leading causes of ‪blindness‬ all over the world. Though people of every age group are equally susceptible to developing Glaucoma, for elderly, the chances are even higher.
 
Glaucoma is a condition in which the optic nerve, which transmits the images formed on retina to the brain, starts getting damaged. Once it is completely impaired, the brain stops receiving the images. As a result, the affected person loses his/her ability to see. 

A healthy body makes for healthy eyes too!

Our eyes health depends largely upon our body's overall health. Having a good diet accompanied with regular exercise helps increasing body's blood circulation, which ultimately lowers down pressure in the eyes. Excessive pressure on the eyes is a major factor that contributes to Glaucoma, so exercising regularly can be extremely beneficial for your eyes.

Watch out for symptoms of Glaucoma (Kala Motia)

Glaucoma also known as Kala Motia is one of the serious conditions of the eye in which fluid pressure inside the eyes damages the optic nerve. It causes excessive damage to the optic nerve which eventually results in blindness. It can be treated through medicines, laser surgery or operative surgery depending upon the nature and severity of each case.

Noticeable signs of the Glaucoma:-

Doubling of vision, change in the colour of iris, intense pain, redness of the eye, headache, nausea, vomiting, watery eyes etc.

Strong risk factors include:-

Age, past injuries to the eyes, thin cornea, very severe near eye sight, family history of glaucoma, African ancestry, diabetes, use of steroid etc.

If you are facing any one of these symptoms, contact an eye specialist for a complete test.