Glaucoma FAQs
Glaucoma, otherwise known as an eye disease in which there is an increase in pressure inside the eye. Just as some people have high blood pressure, in the same way, a glaucoma patient has high eye pressure.
If the eye pressure remains high for a long time it damages the optic nerve which carries the light sensor from the eye to the brain. This damage to the nerve is irreversible and leads to permanent and incurable blindness. That is why glaucoma is a dangerous disease and has been labeled as a “lurking thief of vision”. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world with 70 to 105 million people affected worldwide (WHO).
Why is it important to know about Glaucoma?
Damage due to glaucoma is not curable but preventable. It is therefore necessary that the disease should be detected and treated at its earliest stage to prevent blindness.
How does a person come to know that he/she is suffering from Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is usually asymptomatic or is associated with very mild symptoms that the patient often tends to ignore. Some of the early symptoms include
- It is to be remembered that cataract (“Safed Motia”) also starts developing at the same age as glaucoma. Many people may think that they are losing vision due to cataracts whereas it may be due to glaucoma, which is a much more dangerous disease.
- It is, therefore, advisable to undergo a routine examination around the age of 40 years to screen for Frequent changes in reading glasses.
- Mild eye ache or headache in the evening after a day’s work.
- Seeing rainbow-colored haloes of light around a bulb is associated with a slight decrease in vision.
- Inability to adjust one’s vision on entering a dark room. ” Difficulty in focusing on close work.
- In advanced cases, there is a loss of side vision, while the central vision remains good. The patient becomes more prone to accidents as he/she is unable to see vehicles coming from the sides.
Which age is prone to Glaucoma?
Although glaucoma is most common above the age of 40 years, it may affect any age group. A special type of glaucoma called Congenital Glaucoma may affect even a newborn or a child. Any eye that appears bigger than normal in a child should be shown to an eye specialist.
How often should one get an eye check-up?
- After the age of 40 years, one should get an eye check-up for glaucoma every 3 to 4 years even if there are no symptoms.
- If a family member has glaucoma, if you have diabetes, if you are on long-term systemic steroids for some other disease, or if you have suffered a blunt eye injury in the past, you must get your eyes checked every 1 to 2 years.