About The Eye Disease Glaucoma - Early Treatment Required

As we age, there is a good chance of getting an eye disease. For African Americans and Asians, glaucoma is common but uncommon in Caucasians.

Usually, high pressure inside the eye causes the damage. A clear, watery fluid called the aqueous humor normally circulates in your eye. When the flow of this fluid out of the eye becomes blocked, the pressure increases inside the eye. The pressure can damage the optic nerve.

In some cases glaucoma develops even though the eye pressure is normal.

Glaucoma tends to run in families and is common people over age 60.

When Denise, an African American woman was screened for glaucoma at age 50, she was referred to an eye specialist (ophthalmologist). She had no signs or symptoms whatsoever. Her diagnosis was a glaucoma pattern, not the disease itself.

However, because Denise had one relative with glaucoma, she would require annual eye exams and testing by the eye specialist. It has been ten years so far and the annual exams must continue she was told. Denise is compliant because she wants to avoid vision loss or blindness.

Symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma (Asians) include:

• Severe eye pain
• Seeing halos around lights
• Nausea and vomiting
• Headache
• Loss of vision.

The eye doctor may use the following tests to diagnose this eye disease:

• Tonometry, used to measure the pressure in your eyes
• Ophthalmoscopy, an instrument used to look at the optic nerve inside your eye
• Visual field testing, which can show early changes in your side vision caused by damage to the optic nerve
• Gonioscopy, which is a method of examining the drainage channels with a mirrored lens.

Denise says none of the procedures, exams and tests are uncomfortable. However, you will have your eyes dilated with eye drops which are perhaps a little difficult the first time.

She says another eye drop medication is a local anesthetic to numb your eyes before taking eye pressures. The instrument is placed directly on the “eyeball” and you do not feel it at all.

Treatment for glaucoma includes eye drops, medicine taken by mouth, laser surgery, or other types of surgery. Surgery relieves pressure inside the eye by opening up the drainage channel or by making another opening through which the fluid can drain.

Make sure your healthcare provider tells you about possible side effects of any medication you are taking. If you have concerns, call your provider.

Loss of vision caused by glaucoma is permanent. This is why this eye disease needs to be diagnosed and treated early to stop further damage to the optic nerve.

You may need to take the medication to control eye pressure for the rest of your life. Avoid blindness:

• Take your medication as prescribed.
• Carefully follow your healthcare provider's recommendations for follow-up visits and pressure measurements.
• Call your healthcare provider if you have any side effects from your medication.

Glaucoma is an eye disease that cannot be prevented. However, blindness can be prevented if it is treated before pressure in the eye has damaged the optic nerve too much.

Protect and Save your eyes!

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