Glaucoma is one of the most common causes of irreversible blindness. Almost half of all people with glaucoma are unaware of their diagnosis and therefore go without proper treatment. In the initial stages, glaucoma may have no subjective symptoms and may be diagnosed only during eye examination by an ophthalmologist.
Glaucoma is not a single disease, but rather a group of pathologies caused by variety of underlying mechanisms but at the same time with several common symptoms. These include optic nerve damage and visual field loss. Another key symptom is increased intraocular pressure (IOP), which leads to the death of the retina and optic nerve cells. This process is chronic, enduring, and gradually worsens over time. The resulting defects appear first in the central visual field and later in the peripheral visual field.
Other symptoms are fogging, halos around light sources, poor orientation in the dark, and reading difficulties. If the proper intervention is not carried out in a timely manner, the nerve structures of the eye, and subsequently the patient’s vision, will be completely lost.
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With open-angle glaucoma, the primary treatment is with hypotensive eye drops. They maintain normal intraocular pressure (IOP) and promote intraocular fluid production and outflow balance by activating the natural drainage systems of the eye.
Drops are very effective, but eventually the body stops responding to them and the new drugs are necessary. After some time, the patient will need to combine several medications with different mechanisms of action.
Recently, both laser and surgical procedures for glaucoma have started to see greater demand all over the world. Our experience confirms that using surgery at the early stages of the disease helps to stabilize IOP and preserve visual function more effectively.
In angle-closure glaucoma, acute attacks are not uncommon. In an acute attack, intraocular pressure greatly increases, the eyeball becomes stone-hard, and the patient may experience headache and vomiting. If emergency therapy is not promptly and properly done, the patient will experience significant vision loss or even blindness. The purpose of medical care is to quickly reduce IOP with drops, systemic medications, laser, or surgical procedure.
The cause of angle-closure glaucoma (ACG) is in a result of a change in the anatomy of the eye, in which the iris and cornea are closer together than normal, with a natural lens that is very thick. The latter results in blockage of the natural intraocular fluid draining systems. In many cases, exchange of the natural lens for the thinner intraocular lens helps restore the normal topography of the eye’s anterior segment, facilitating the passage of intraocular fluid and eliminating the anatomical reasons for ACG.
The best solution in glaucoma is to take preventive measures well in advance. The ophthalmologist will help decide which approaches are best for each individual case. The most important step is to visit your doctor in a timely manner.
