About Glaucoma

By Henry-001 on

Name of the Condition and Other Names It’s Known By

  • Glaucoma

  • An informal nickname for it is, “sneak thief of vision”

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can cause vision loss and blindness by damaging the optic nerve in the eye. The most common type in the United States is called open-angle glaucoma, which often has no early symptoms. Over time, it can lead to loss of side (peripheral) vision, blind spots, and eventually blindness. There are other less common types, such as angle-closure glaucoma and congenital glaucoma.

How Do Doctors Diagnose Glaucoma?

  • Put drops in your eyes to make pupils big, then look at the optic nerve with special lights

  • Use a puff of air or numbing drop with a tool to measure eye pressure (tonometry)

  • Test side vision by clicking when you see blinking lights (visual field test)

  • Take pictures of the optic nerve with a fast camera (OCT imaging)

  • Check drainage angle with a special contact lens (gonioscopy)

How Do Doctors Treat Glaucoma?

  • Eye drops every day to lower eye pressure (like prostaglandins or beta blockers)

  • Laser treatment to help fluid drain better from the eye

  • Surgery to make a new drain if drops/laser don't work enough

  • Pills or more drops if pressure stays too high

Trend In the United States

  • Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness for people over 60 years old.

  • It's estimated that over 3 million Americans have glaucoma, but half of them may not know they have it because it often has no early symptoms.

History of Glaucoma

The history of glaucoma can be traced back to ancient times, with descriptions of the condition appearing in medical texts from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. In the 17th century, the English physician Richard Banister wrote about treating glaucoma with bloodletting and purging. In the 19th century, the German physician Albrecht von Graefe developed a surgical procedure to treat glaucoma by creating an opening in the eye to drain excess fluid. In the 20th century, advances in medical technology led to the development of new diagnostic tests and treatments for glaucoma, including medications to reduce eye pressure, laser procedures, and minimally invasive surgical techniques. Today, early detection and treatment of glaucoma can help prevent vision loss and blindness.

Glaucoma - Source of Information

For informational purposes only. Consult a medical professional for advice.


Replies (0)