Everything that you need to know about Glaucoma and its treatment

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is the most dangerous eye- disorder and is the foremost cause of blindness. In this damage to the optic nerve takes place due to abnormal high pressure inside the eye. If no proper treatment is taken, it can cause permanent loss of vision.

What are the causes of glaucoma?

The glaucoma is caused due to abnormal eye development, eye infection, drugs, no supply of blood to the eye etc. However, the exact cause to this dangerous disease is still not understood.

What are the common symptoms of glaucoma?

The main symptom is the gradual loss of vision while some other symptoms include-

• Sudden severe headache
• Redness of eye
• Severe eye or eye brow pain
• Hazy or Blurred vision
• Loss of eyesight
• Nausea and vomiting
• Flashes of light
• Appearance of rainbow colored circles around bright lights
• Sudden sight loss
• Tunnel vision in advanced stage.
  
  
  

What are the risk factors of glaucoma?

Anyone can suffer from glaucoma. However, one should be aware of the following risk factors-

• Age – Age factor matters a lot. People of around 40 or 60 years and above are at more risk of glaucoma.
• Family history- This problem is genetic which means if anyone in your family has suffered from this problem then you have a greater risk of developing it.
• Several medical conditions- people suffering from several medical problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart diseases are the reasons for this disease.
• Long-term medication use- Using medicines such as eye drops for a long period is a common reason.

Some other risk factors include –

• Contraceptive medications
• Sleep disorders
• Migraine
• Nearsightedness

Diagnosis and treatment

There is no cure for glaucoma however, it can be effectively managed, and loss of sight can be minimized. Regular examination of your eyes is the only diagnosis option. People should have a regular test in every three to four months. There are number of hospitals that provide glaucoma test NYC.

The main treatment options include

• Eye drops
• Laser treatment
• Surgery

If you find any of the aforementioned symptoms, it is imperative to seek immediate medical attention.