Glaucoma is a serious
eye disease that can cause permanent vision loss or total blindness.
There are multiple types of glaucoma, but the most common type is
primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
Causes and Risk
Factors
Glaucoma is caused by
damage to the optic nerve due to excessive pressure in the eye. This
pressure is called intraocular pressure and happens when the eye is
unable to drain fluid properly. The fluid builds up over time until
it damages the optic nerve, which is the nerve that transfers images
from the eye to the brain.
POAG often runs in
families, so if you have a close relative who has been diagnosed with
glaucoma, you're at a higher risk of developing it yourself.
Researchers believe the risk is even higher if you have a sibling
with glaucoma, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Other factors that may
put you at higher risk of being diagnosed with POAG are older age,
thinner than average corneas, and African-Caribbean ancestry.
Symptoms
Primary open-angle
glaucoma doesn't usually cause noticeable symptoms until the disease
has progressed significantly. Glaucoma patients typically don't
experience any pain or other obvious signs, and even the initial
vision loss is often overlooked because it usually starts with losing
peripheral vision.
Peripheral vision is
the vision off to the side - it's what you see out of the corner of
your eye. Because this type of vision isn't as sharp or focused as
looking straight ahead, people often overlook changes in it.
Diagnosis
The lack of noticeable
symptoms until significant vision loss occurs is one of the main
reasons that regular eye exams are so important, especially for
seniors. Your eye doctor will check the pressure in your eye to
detect early glaucoma.
Your doctor will put
numbing drops in your eyes to make the procedure painless. Pressure
is applied to your eye with a small device or a quick puff of air.
If your ophthalmologist
detects increased pressure, they can perform further tests to
determine whether or not you have POAG or another type of glaucoma.
Your doctor will dilate your eyes to examine your optic nerve for
damage. They may also have you perform a test to check your
peripheral vision for signs of vision loss.
Measurements of the
thickness of your corneas and the angle where your iris meets your
cornea are other helpful tests often used to confirm a glaucoma
diagnosis.
Treatment
When an ophthalmologist
detects glaucoma early, they can provide treatment to help prevent
further damage, but any existing vision loss due to POAG isn't
reversible. The most common early treatment is prescription eye drops
to reduce the pressure inside your eye. These drops can also help
prevent glaucoma if you have increased intraocular pressure that
hasn't yet progressed to glaucoma.
Many glaucoma patients
need to use medicated eye drops daily for the rest of their lives to
prevent permanent vision loss. Oral medications to reduce the risk of
further vision loss are also available, but they aren't a good fit
for every patient.
Your ophthalmologist
might recommend surgery to treat your POAG if they feel medications
aren't sufficient to help prevent the progression of the disease.
Minimally-invasive glaucoma surgery helps the eye drain fluid better
to reduce pressure and only requires very small incisions.
Laser surgery is
another common treatment option for POAG patients who don't respond
well to medicated eye drops. Results from laser surgery can take
several months, and the effects often only last for between 1 and 5
years. You can have more than one laser glaucoma surgery, but your
results for subsequent surgeries might not be as pronounced as the
results following the initial surgery.
Other types of
surgeries that are more invasive may also be options to treat POAG.
These surgeries create new areas for the fluid in your eye to drain
out of, and they are often better at lowering eye pressure than
minimally-invasive surgery is.
The ophthalmologists at
Calvert Ophthalmology Center diagnose and treat multiple eye
conditions. Contact
us today to schedule an appointment.
