Ranchi, 12 March 2013 :: Glaucoma is a silent killer of Vision says Dr. Abhishek Kumar Singh(MD, ophthalmology AIIMS, New Delhi ) of Meenakshi Netralaya. He says most of the patients do not experience any problems initially and hence the patients don’t take the condition very seriously. Glaucoma gradually keeps pushing a patients towards absoulte Blindness. It is like a termite that eats away the vision gradually.
Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide. It is estimated that 4.5 million persons globally are blind due to glaucoma1 and that this number will rise to 11.2 million by 2020. It is noteworthy that due to the silent progression of the disease – at least in its early stages – up to 50% of affected persons in the developed countries are not even aware of having glaucoma3. This number may rise to 90% in underdeveloped parts of the world.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause progressive damage of the optic nerve at the point where it leaves the eye to carry visual information to the brain. Our Eyes contain a fluid called ‘ Aqueous Humor’. This fluid flows across various parts within the eye and is regulated within a defined pressure in the Eyes. In Healthy individuals, the fluid flows at a constant pressure. However, if the fluid is odstructed due to few reasons, the pressure inside the eye increasea and the posterior part of the eyes get severly affected. If the increase in the pressure and the proper drainage of the fluid is left uncontrolled for long, the risk of Glaucoma increases.
Recommendations
1. Patients are advised from the age of 40 to have regular eye examinations.
2. Patients diagnosed with glaucoma should adhere to using their eyedrops as prescribed and keep their follow-appointments with their Eye specialist.
Relatives should assist patients diagnosed with glaucoma: helping to pay for the medications as needed, putting the eyedrops for them if this poses a challenge physically for the patients, reminding them of their appointments and providing transportation for their follow-up eye visits.
3. Relatives of patients with open angle glaucoma are at an increased risk of developing glaucoma. These relatives should have regular eye examinations from the age of 35.
4. Patients who sustained injury to their eyes and those who use any type of steroid medications over a long time are at risk for developing glaucoma and hence should have regular eye examinations.
