
WHAT IS GLAUCOMA
Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the optic nerve is damaged. The most common and medically treatable cause of this disease is high intraocular pressure. However, glaucoma with normal or low intraocular pressure also exists.
In addition to high eye pressure, risk factors for glaucoma include a positive family history, myopia, inflammation, tumours, eye injuries and post-operative conditions. Systemic diseases include diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, vascular diseases, use of certain types of medications such as steroids, antidepressants, smoking. Glaucoma is a disease that affects all ages. There is also congenital glaucoma, some babies are genetically born with this eye disease. Another type of glaucoma is more common as the age of the patient increases. After the age of 40, it affects about 1% of the world’s population, and after the age of 70, it affects more than 4% of the population.
Glaucoma is the second most common eye disease in the world after cataract and in this case it causes irreversible blindness. It can develop in the eye for several years without any symptoms and the later it is treated, the more complex and less promising the treatment becomes. The best prevention is regular examinations by your ophthalmologist.
TYPES OF GLAUCOMA
There are various forms of glaucoma. Let us now explain some of them.
Primary Open Angle Glaucoma: This type of glaucoma is the most common, but initially shows no significant symptoms and the patient usually does not realise the problem until a large part of the optic nerves have died, with significant changes in the visual field.
Narrow/Closed Angle Primary Glaucoma: This type is more common in eyes with advanced anatomical conditions in the eye. It occurs as a glaucoma attack associated with severe headaches, especially in the eye, due to a sudden increase in intraocular pressure. It is usually accompanied by redness of the eye, blurred vision, nausea or vomiting and requires emergency care by an ophthalmologist.
Congenital Glaucoma: It is a congenital condition in which the child’s eye is vulnerable and grows due to high eye pressure. It is sensitive to light, causes excessive tearing and the cornea becomes cloudy. The baby or child often cries because they cannot express this.
Secondary Glaucoma: As we mentioned above, it is caused by a known identifiable cause such as eye injury, tumours, drug use, diabetes or vascular and other systemic diseases.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF GLAUCOMA?
In many forms of glaucoma, there are no specific warning signs initially. Patients usually recognise symptoms in the later stages of the disease, when parts of the optic nerve are irreversibly damaged. Since vision loss due to glaucoma cannot be reversed, it is very important to undergo regular eye examinations, including measurement of eye pressure, visual field testing and optic nerve examination. If glaucoma is diagnosed at an early stage, vision loss can be significantly slowed down and in some cases even stopped completely.
Depending on the type and stage of glaucoma, the most common symptoms are
Blurring and narrowing of the field of vision,
Loss of spatial vision,
Glaucoma attack, sudden loss of vision,
Blurred vision, light sensitivity,
Headache, especially around the eyes,
Loss of visual acuity in the advanced stage of the disease.
GLAUCOMA RISK FACTORS
The main risk factors are:
Genetic inheritance,
Myopl
Inflammation, eye injury, surgery,
Smoking,
Fluctuating or very low blood pressure,
Cold limb syndrome,
General diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases
The use of certain medications, e.g. corticosteroids, antidepressants.
GLAUCOMA TREATMENT
Glaucoma cannot be completely cured, but its course can be slowed or stabilised if it is detected and treated at an early stage. There are various glaucoma treatment modalities available today. Each treatment method aims to reduce intraocular pressure to values that do not damage the optic nerve and to influence potential risk factors.
DRUG TREATMENT
Glaucoma treatment is carried out in the first stage by applying eye drops or medications to lower eye pressure.
SLT LASER SURGERY (SELECTIVE LASER TRABECULOPLASTY)
When drug treatment fails or cannot be applied when the intraocular pressure is slightly increased, laser surgery can be considered. It takes place under local anaesthesia and the doctor focuses laser beams on a specific tissue in the outflow pathways of the eye, improving the drainage of intraocular fluid and lowering eye pressure. The operation takes only a few minutes and is virtually painless. It has fewer complications than conventional surgical treatment.
SURGICAL TREATMENT
We recommend classic glaucoma surgery when all other options have failed, when glaucoma is detected at a very advanced stage or in young patients. The operation is usually performed under local anaesthesia and usually aims to create an artificial connection between the inside of the eye and the subconjunctival sac, through which the intraocular fluid can drain continuously.
Untreated glaucoma can lead to blindness. For this reason, it is very important, especially in patients over the age of 40, to have their eyes examined at least once a year. Only an ophthalmologist can diagnose the problem in time and recommend appropriate treatment.