Have you or a loved one found out you have glaucoma? Glaucoma is a severe threat to the wellbeing of your eyesight.
The condition damages your optic nerve, causing permanent vision loss. Glaucoma is also a progressive disease.
This means that it gets worse and worse over time. The decline in eye health is so slow and subtle that many people with the condition don’t realize it until vision loss has already occurred.
This disease is one of the best examples of why regular trips to an eye care professional are so necessary to maintaining good vision. Schedule an appointment at Vision Care of Maine today and ask for a glaucoma screening!
Glaucoma is not exclusive to the older population. But the truth is people who are over 60 are at an increased risk of developing it.
As you get older, you should increase the frequency of your eye doctor visits. Keep reading to learn more about glaucoma and if there’s an age that you should start worrying about it more!
Your optic nerve suffers damage from glaucoma due to an increase in internal ocular pressure. Often, this is caused by a partial blockage inside of the eye.
This partial blockage inside of the eye causes eye fluid to be produced faster than the eye can drain it. This is called open-angle glaucoma.
The most reliable way to test for open-angle glaucoma is by measuring eye pressure. This test is called tonometry.
During tonometry, you’ll have an instrument called a tonometer used on your eyes. After numbing your eyes with special drops, the doctor uses a pencil-shaped probe to measure the resistance.
A more modern-day version of the test utilizes a hard puff of air blown into the eye through a machine, which senses the resistance given by your eye.
In some cases, glaucoma occurs even with normal eye pressure. Doctors will also use tests to determine your field of vision, corneal thickness, and will even look directly at your optic nerve for damage.
Age is not the only thing that causes an increased risk of developing glaucoma. If you fit one or more of the following descriptions, be extra aware of gradual changes in your vision.
If you have a family history of glaucoma, you are more likely to also develop the eye condition. Glaucoma seems to get passed down through families.
African Americans are not only more likely to get glaucoma but they are also more likely to suffer permanent vision loss.
Diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease all factor into your glaucoma risk
Blunt force trauma can cause an immediate spike in eye pressure. This can cause pressure to increase in the future, and can even dislocate the lens of the eye, blocking the drainage angle.
Prolonged usage of corticosteroids can increase the risk of glaucoma.
Concerned about glaucoma? Schedule an appointment at Vision Care of Maine in Bangor, ME today!
Glaucoma is one of the most notorious eye diseases out there. That’s why it earned the nickname, “The Silent Thief of Sight”. Here’s why.
Glaucoma is a disease that damages your optic nerve. Your optic nerve sends the information detected by your eye to your brain. Although the optic nerve is made up of a thick and tough tissue, when damaged it’s not repairable.
Glaucoma is generally associated with high eye pressure. This pressure in the eye presses on the optic nerve harder and harder as it builds up, taking away vision.
The classic form of glaucoma is open-angle glaucoma, in which the build up of pressure is slow and gradual. This occurs when the interior drainage system is not draining as fast as fluid is entering.
Another more dangerous, form of glaucoma is known as closed-angle glaucoma. This occurs when that drainage system becomes blocked. This leaves no room for any fluid to escape.
This rare form of glaucoma causes vision loss to be much more rapid. Symptoms include headaches, severe pain, and blurriness.
In rare cases, glaucoma can occur without an increase in intraocular pressure. This form is normal tension glaucoma. This may happen because the patient’s optic nerve is more fragile than normal. As a result, even normal eye pressure is too much.
Glaucoma has no noticeable symptoms, except vision loss. Again, when you lose sight from glaucoma, there’s no getting it back.
Glaucoma can be tested for with a method called tonometry. Tonometry tests for abnormal eye pressure. There are two versions of tonometry: applanation tonometry and no contact tonometry.
Applanation tonometry numbs the eye and then uses an instrument to press into the cornea. This tests to see how much pressure will flatten the cornea. This type of tonometry is more involved, so it is not as popular as no contact tonometry.
No contact tonometry is the classic “puff of air” test that people dread so much during eye exams. This test involves blowing a concentrated puff of air into the patient’s eye. No contact tonometry is harmless, but it can be startling.
Since glaucoma has no noticeable symptoms, it is important to be proactive in your eye care. Schedule an annual check up with Vision Care of Maine in Bangor!
Not only is the damage done by glaucoma permanent, but the disease never goes away. Though it can’t fully be cured, glaucoma is manageable.
Treatment usually comes in the form of eye drops, though some people may prefer or need to use pills. In either case, the medication lowers eye pressure.
This is accomplished through slowing down production of fluid or relaxing eye muscles. For best results, both medications may get combined and taken together.
Glaucoma is an incurable disease, but it is easy to manage and keep under control. Need glaucoma treatment? Schedule your consultation with Vision Care of Maine in Bangor today!
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