The Aging Eye: Facts About Glaucoma

Often referred to as "the sneaky thief of sight," glaucoma is the second leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide. It is important to note that glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African American and Hispanic descendants. A glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that cause damage to the optic nerve.

In most cases, this damage is associated with a dangerous build-up of internal eye pressure, known as intraocular pressure (IOP). Because there are no symptoms or warnings, up to 40 percent of vision can be lost without a person realizing it. Glaucoma generally progresses undetected until the optic nerve is irreversibly damaged, with varying degrees of permanent vision loss. If you want to get information on California Elmiron Eye Legal Help, find it on the internet.

There are two main types of glaucoma: primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and closed-angle glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma is the most common type. Its cause is unknown; however, it tends to run in families.

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The first sign of POAG is usually the loss of peripheral or lateral vision, which may go unnoticed until the end of the disease. That's why annual routine eye exams are essential. During this exam, an ophthalmologist dilates or enlarges the pupil of the eye with dilating drops. Once dilated, the appearance of the optic nerve can be studied. The ophthalmologist also performs a procedure called tonometry to monitor eye pressure and a visual field test to determine whether or not loss of peripheral vision has occurred.

The goal of treatment is to reduce the pressure in the eye. Open-angle glaucoma is most commonly treated with various combinations of eye drops, microsurgery, and a laser procedure called laser trabeculoplasty, in which a laser is used to open the drainage area of the mesh behind the eye. The microsurgical procedure is called a trabeculectomy. During this procedure, a new channel is created to drain the clear fluid from the eye, thereby reducing the intraocular pressure that causes glaucoma.

 

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