Glaucoma is the primary cause of preventable blindness

admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:01:14 +0000

Glaucoma, the primary cause of preventable blindness, affects many people from the newly born babies, aging seniors. Although it is technically not an eye disease, it is actually a degenerative condition can be detected, treated and hampered by periodic simple and painless eye examinations and follow-up treatments. If caught in the early stages, an ophthalmologist can detect, treat and inhibit, the ravishing effects of glaucoma. So what exactly is glaucoma? Glaucoma is a term used to describe a degenerative eye disease which is characterized by elevated intraocular pressure (or high) in the eye, leading to the deterioration of the optic nerve and retinal ganglion cells. If untreated, glaucoma can eventually lead to partial or complete loss of vision. This condition is irreversible eye of the leading causes of avoidable blindness, steals the vision of many people each year.
What causes this degenerative eye disease has? Alarming, the exact cause of glaucoma is unknown. For unknown reasons, blocking the passages (the eye by the fluid flow) in the eye leads to increased pressure on the optic nerve and retinal ganglion cells. During this time, untreated glaucoma, the severe damage to delicate nerve fibers and blood vessels exposed in the region of optic nerve, causing loss of vision.
In whom glaucoma occurs most frequently?
* Individuals who suffer from diabetes.
* Individuals over the age of 40
* People vulnerable to the development of glaucoma.
* Individuals who are nearsighted.
* Children vulnerable to the development of childhood glaucoma.
What are other risk factors for glaucoma?
Glaucoma can occur as a complication of other medical problems such as:
* Advanced cataracts
* Eye injuries
* Eye Surgery
* Inflammation of the membrane or middle Uvea within the eye (uveitis)
* Certain eye tumors
How damaging is glaucoma?
The nerve center provide all the signals from the retina to the brain. The deterioration of the bundle of nerve fibers restricts the flow and quality of the signals to the brain, leading to a loss of vision.
What are the warning signs of glaucoma?
For many people, the signs or symptoms of glaucoma vary depending on the type of degenerative eye disease has. The first of two major classes of glaucoma is primary open-angle glaucomaPoag), the most common subtype of glaucoma. This type of degenerative eye disease has slowly developed initially without pain. In fact, Primary open-angle glaucoma is difficult to see without a special eye exam because there are no early warning signs. Poag can gradually destroy your vision without warning. The first character may occur after the person has experienced a degree of vision loss has already been.
The second most common subtype of glaucoma is acute angle-closure GlaukomAACG), as a medical emergency, because rapid or a sudden increase in pressure inside the eye – called intraocular pressure (IOP) – could lead to partial or complete blindness. The sudden blockage of drainage channels in your eye is the perpetrator. Warning signs are: a rapid increase in pressure in the eye, pain, blurred vision, the appearance of colored rings around lights, as well as redness in the eyes.
How can glaucoma be prevented?
As mentioned above, early detection and treatment of glaucoma significantly reduced the risk of vision loss. Contrary to popular belief, glaucoma is an irreversible condition that is preventable eye. It is imperative that you have, it is important to draw attention to an ophthalmologist to reduce the risk of severe glaucoma visual morbidity and blindness if caught in the early stages. A highly-trained ophthalmologist can give you a comprehensive Optometric examination, during which he or she tests your eyes for glaucoma.
See a regular ophthalmologist, because any loss of vision from glaucoma is often permanent and can not be restored. A simple, painless examination is the key to maintaining your vision. Remember, untreated glaucoma is a silent thief of sight, which robs people of their vision every day. Do you have a thorough ophthalmologist check your eyes regularly to protect your vision. They are very happy that you have done.

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Glaucoma is the primary cause of preventable blindness