
Glaucoma
Over 70 million people worldwide suffer from glaucoma, and more than 6 million are blind because of it. The exact cause of glaucoma remains unknown, and the disease is chronic.
There are many types of glaucoma, such as:
- congenital glaucoma
- pediatric glaucoma
- juvenile glaucoma
- primary glaucoma developing in adulthood
- secondary glaucoma, occurring as a result of other eye diseases
Untreated forms of glaucoma lead to glaucomatous optic nerve atrophy, ultimately resulting in irreversible blindness.
Symptoms and Course of Glaucoma
Glaucoma can progress asymptomatically and painlessly, with the first sign being vision deterioration due to narrowing of the visual field. Increasing glaucomatous neuropathy leads to complete vision loss.
Risk Factors
Major risk factors for glaucoma include:
- increased intraocular pressure
- age (risk increases sixfold after the age of 60)
- family history of the disease
- cold hands and feet syndrome
- smoking
- cardiovascular diseases
- diabetes
Diagnostics and Examinations
Early detection and proper treatment allow for maintaining good vision and delaying disease progression. During each ophthalmic visit at OcuMedica, we perform screening tests for glaucoma, which include:
- anterior segment evaluation using a slit lamp
- applanation tonometry
- optic nerve assessment during a fundus examination
In cases of suspected glaucoma, we perform additional tomographic SOCT tests to assess:
- retinal ganglion cells (GCC) – these cells are the first to deteriorate during glaucoma development. Tomographic examination of their layer allows for detecting the earliest structural changes related to glaucoma before clinical symptoms become visible in the visual field. GCC evaluation is highly sensitive but nonspecific, as asymmetry in GCC may also be linked to other conditions, including cardiological and diabetic issues.
- thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) around and within the optic nerve disc
- corneal thickness and stiffness, measured with pachymetry
- angle of filtration, through tomographic gonioscopy, which helps determine the type of glaucoma and implement appropriate treatment
Potential visual field defects are evaluated using perimetry.
Glaucoma Treatment
Glaucoma treatment may include:
- pharmacotherapy – regular use of anti-glaucoma eye drops and oral medications
- laser procedures (we perform YAG iridotomy at OcuMedica)
- classical surgical methods
- various combinations of the above methods
Prevention
Preventive ophthalmic check-ups (once a year after the age of 40) and detailed diagnostics based on the most modern methods enable early detection of glaucoma. Proper treatment and monitoring of disease progression help stop glaucomatous neuropathy and maintain good vision!