About Glaucoma and the Immediate Need to Treat

2019-09-25 00:00:00Z

Glaucoma is globally the leading cause of permanent blindness. The disease does not discriminate which is commonly cited as "the sneak thief of sight". This is because the disease presents itself with no symptoms in the early stage with the slight peripheral vision loss commonly going unnoticed. The condition is permanent once the damage is in progress. For this reason, people are encouraged to have a regular eye examination for glaucoma screening. The frequency of the eye examination depends on person's age, race and family history.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is an eye disease which results to irreversible blindness due to optic nerve injury. The injury results from the increase ocular pressure brought about by fluid accumulation.

Symptoms

Patients who are suffering from glaucoma usually perceive no pain or symptoms at the early stage. Most people only notice it when their peripheral vision becomes impaired or blind spots occur at the corner of the eye. But contrary to popular belief, there are in fact some early signs and symptoms suggestive of glaucoma that you need learn, these include:

Severe pain in the eye or forehead
Eye Redness
Blurred vision
You may see rainbows or halos around bright lights
Nausea and vomiting
Photophobia or painful light sensitivity

Treatment

Various treatment options for Alexandria area glaucoma patients are available. But it depends on the type and severity of the disease:

Eye Drops to reduce eye pressure and an initial attempt to control the onset of the disease.
Laser Therapy variations are decided by the severity of the damage and also a way to control eye pressure.
Surgery is the last resort when all aforementioned treatment fails. It helps repair the damage and restore vision.

Prognosis

There's a positive prognosis when the disease is early detected and diagnosed before optic nerve injury takes place. On the other hand, late diagnosis implies more intensive treatment is required and there's an impending visual loss. Glaucoma patients must be educated to the fact that the disease is a lifetime condition and full compliance with prescribed medications and regular checkups with an eye doctor is critically important.

If you have any reason to suspect that you think have glaucoma-like symptoms, contact VisualEyes Optometrists here in Alexandria for consultation.

About Glaucoma and the Immediate Need to Treat

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