Glaucoma is a condition that causes damage to your eyes optic nerve and gets worse over time. It is often linked to a buildup of pressure inside your eye. Glaucoma tends to be inherited and may not show up until later in life.
The increased pressure, called intraocular pressure, can damage the optic nerve, which transmits images to your brain. If the damage continues, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss. Without treatment, glaucoma can cause total blindness within a few years.
What Are the Types of Glaucoma?
There are two main kinds:
Open-angle glaucoma. It is the most common type. Your doctor may also call it wide-angle glaucoma. The drain structure in your eye is called the trabecular meshwork, it looks normal, but fluid does not flow out like it should.
Angle-closure glaucoma. It is less common in the West than in Asia. it is also called acute or chronic angle-closure or narrow-angle glaucoma. Your eye does not drain right because the angle between your iris and cornea is too narrow. Your iris is in the way. This can cause a sudden buildup of pressure in your eye. It is also linked to farsightedness and cataracts, a clouding of the lens inside your eye.
Risk factors
Because chronic forms of glaucoma can destroy vision before any signs or symptoms are apparent, be aware of these risk factors:
Having high internal eye pressure (intraocular pressure)
Being over age 60
Being black or Hispanic
Having a family history of the condition
Having certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart
disease, high blood pressure and sickle cell anemia
Having certain eye conditions, such as nearsightedness
Having had an eye injury or certain types of eye surgery
Early estrogen deficiency, such as can occur after removal of ovaries (bilateral oophorectomy) before age 43
Taking corticosteroid medications, especially eyedrops, for a long time
Prevention
You may not be able to prevent glaucoma. But these self-care steps can help you detect it early, limit vision loss or slow its progress.
Get regular eye care. Regular comprehensive eye exams can help detect glaucoma in its early stages before irreversible damage occurs. As a general rule, have comprehensive eye exams every four years beginning at age 40 and every two years from age 65. You may need more frequent screening if you are at high risk of glaucoma. Ask your doctor to recommend the right screening schedule for you.
Know your familys eye health history. Glaucoma tends to run in families. If you are at increased risk, you may need more
frequent screening.
Exercise safely. Regular, moderate exercise may help prevent glaucoma by reducing eye pressure. Talk with your doctor about an appropriate exercise program.
Take prescribed eyedrops regularly. Glaucoma eyedrops can significantly reduce the risk that high eye pressure will progress to glaucoma. To be effective, eyedrops prescribed by your doctor need to be used regularly even if you have no
Wear eye protection. Serious eye injuries can lead to glaucoma. Wear eye protection when using power tools or playing high-speed racket sports on enclosed courts.
Your Health Is Our Concern!
Mawuena Workartey/ Ghanahospitals.org
