Posts Tagged ‘eye disease’
Discussing The Seriousness Of Open Angle Glaucoma
Glaucoma is the name for a group of five diseases that work by affecting the optic nerve of the eye. The word glaucoma translates to “hard eyeball.” If this eye disease is left untreated, then it can cause blindness. However, if a person has a yearly optical examination, then they stand a better chance of discovering if they have the disease. Open angle glaucoma is the most common form.
There are other types of glaucoma but open angle is the one that affects the eyesight of most people. The sad fact is that there are more than 3 million Americans who have glaucoma but are not aware of it yet, based on statistical research. Glaucoma works by damaging the optic nerve through pressure in the eye or decreasing the blood supply to the optic nerve. If it is caught early enough by scheduling eye exams, then glaucoma can be arrested, and a person’s vision can be saved. However, any damage that glaucoma has caused up to that point is not fixable. The people who are most at risk of contracting glaucoma are black people, people over 40, or anyone that has a history of glaucoma in their family.
Anyone who discovers that they have contracted open angle glaucoma will be happy to know that they have a good chance of saving their vision. Once glaucoma is discovered doctors can stop it in its tracks. As long as a person has not waited until their vision is so bad that they cannot see well, they will be able to recover from glaucoma. If you are having your regular visits to your doctor, then you should be safe and not have anything to worry about. Additionally, if you feel there are any eye problems, then you should immediately make an appointment with your optical doctor.
Finding out that you have contracted an eye disease is very difficult to deal with. Open angle glaucoma affects over 80 percent of the people that contract glaucoma. The good news is that it is a treatable disease. If people make sure that they have regular exams with their optical doctor, then they will be safe from the damages of this disease.
What Are The Treatments For Glaucoma?
The good news is that glaucoma is an eye disease that can be treated. The bad news is that any damage that has already been caused by glaucoma cannot be repaired; it will either stay the same or get worse. The best chance for anyone who contracts this eye disease has is to catch the development early, as treatment for glaucoma is more successful the earlier it is discovered.
Glaucoma is really the term given to four different but similar diseases of the eyes. All of the different types of glaucoma do basically the same thing; they increase pressure in the eyes. All of the different treatments for this eye disease are aimed at reducing this high-pressure. This is not to say that pressure in the eyes will always cause glaucoma, but once glaucoma has developed, the high-pressure will speed up the process. Some of the different treatments of glaucoma include eyedrops, medication and surgery. The fact that more and more eye health information is readily available to the public about glaucoma and the damage that it can do to eyes, means that treatment will be more widespread and successful.
Once a person has been diagnosed with glaucoma, it is important for them to begin immediate treatment. The first line of defense in treating glaucoma is medicated eyedrops. The medications in the drops can consist of beta blockers, prostaglandins, alpha-stimulators, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, miotics and epinephrine. Doctors will only move onto oral medications if the eyedrops do not work effectively. Oral medications for glaucoma treatment have a high percentage of side effects, which is why doctors like to try the medicated eyedrops first. If all else fails, then surgery is a last resort. A glaucoma patient could either receive traditional surgery or laser surgery; it will depend on what their doctor thinks is best. The main goal of surgery is to reduce the pressure in the eyes.
The three main treatments for glaucoma have a high success rate, if it is caught in a timely manner. This is the reason why regular medical checkups and eye exams are so crucial to a person’s well-being. If glaucoma is allowed to progress, then it will eventually cause blindness, yet if caught early, then it can be stopped.
Acute Glaucoma Isn’t Cute
Acute glaucoma is one of the four types of glaucoma. Glaucoma is a serious eye disease that affects many people each year in America and untreated glaucoma can cause blindness. Sometimes there are no symptoms with this disease, which makes it especially important for an individual to monitor their eye health. Regular checkups with an eye doctor are essential, especially as we age.
There are four types of glaucoma, but acute glaucoma is different in that it can develop suddenly and do serious damage in a short amount of time. It usually works by causing pressure to be increased within the eye. Generally, this happens slowly and the person is not aware of what is going on. In this type of glaucoma the pressure increases suddenly and this increase in pressure is very painful. The pain can become so intense that it can make a person vomit and even lose consciousness. This is very serious and usually requires a trip to the emergency room. An eye doctor needs to be consulted immediately and if treatment is delayed, then eyesight can be permanently destroyed.
Acute glaucoma is one of the four types of glaucoma. This type of glaucoma is different in that it alerts the person that has it that it is present through very painful attacks. Other forms of glaucoma usually show no symptoms and cause a lot of damage before they are discovered. This type of glaucoma cannot be ignored, as it causes intense pain that usually requires a trip to the emergency room. Once glaucoma is diagnosed by a doctor it can then be treated. Stress and darkened rooms are the usual suspects for a glaucoma attack. Stress, as well as low lighting, causes the pupil to dilate and push on the iris, which causes increased pressure. This can bring on a glaucoma attack.
If you must contract glaucoma then perhaps acute glaucoma would be one of the best forms to have. Although the pain may be intense, while other forms of glaucoma are usually not painful, the pain will alert you that there is a problem. This will cause you to go to the doctor and get treated for glaucoma before it causes you to go blind.