Glaucoma is the term used to describe a group of eye diseases that can cause blindness if not properly treated: open-angle glaucoma, the most common form, affects about 3 million people in the United States alone. Half of the people affected, do not even know to be ill.
Anatomy
Our eyes are very sophisticated optical instruments that collect light and focus on their back, allowing us to see: The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that allows entry of light, the rest of the eye is covered an outer layer called the sclera. The front of the eye, there is a further coating membrane called the conjunctiva.
Light hits the iris, the colored part of the eye: the opening in the center of the iris called the pupil. The iris is able to vary the number of lights entering the eye, because it can change the diameter of the pupil.
After passing through the pupil, the light passes through a transparent lens, just like the lens of a camera lens focuses the light in the back of the eye. Between the lens and the back of the eye, light rays passing through a transparent substance called the vitreous humor.
The back of the eye called the retina and is used to convert light signals into electrical signals which are transmitted to the brain by the optic nerve and the brain then translates them into images that we see.
In general the eye can distinguish two important areas:
1. front area (called the anterior chamber, is located between the cornea el'iride)
2. the rear (called posterior chamber, located between the iris and the lens).
The transparent liquid that fill the anterior chamber is produced in the posterior chamber and then is absorbed by a sponge Further exercises in an area that angle. If the rate of resorption is less than that of production, the fluid accumulates in the anterior chamber by increasing the pressure and tension in the eye.
If the pressure increases the eye and the optic nerve are damaged: this situation can lead to blindness.
Types glacucoma
There are five types of glaucoma.
1. Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of this disease: the pressure in the eye increases with the passage of time, rather slowly. Open-angle glaucoma can usually be treated with appropriate drugs or surgery.
2. For the low-tension glaucoma or normal tension using the same therapies that open angle, the symptoms come on slowly but not as in that case: they can occur in a more unexpected.
3. Angle-closure glaucoma is an emergency situation. This type causes a sudden rise in eye pressure, the symptoms are severe pain and nausea, redness of the eye and blurred vision. If you do not care immediately can become blind in one or two days. Normally, immediate surgery with the laser can remove the obstruction and save sight.
4. Congenital glaucoma affects those children who, from birth, suffering from eye defects that slow the normal absorption of fluid. Symptoms include: blurred eyes, light sensitivity and tearing eccessiva.L 'surgery is usually the best care possible and the child has excellent opportunities to do well.
5. Secondary glaucoma arises as a complication of other diseases. Treatment may include drugs or surgery. Among the diseases or conditions that may cause secondary glaucoma are eye surgery, advanced cataracts, eye injuries, certain eye tumors, uveitis (eye inflammation), diabetes, use of corticosteroid drugs.
Symptoms
In early glaucoma may not show obvious swine flu symptoms. If you do not receive any treatment patients with glaucoma may find themselves suddenly no longer see on the sides, that is no longer the so-called peripheral vision. It's as though they saw through the tunnel (tunnel vision).
Over time, the glaucoma patients may continue to lose their sight, to remain blind. Even the eye pain and headaches are symptoms of glaucoma.
Except in the case of congenital glaucoma, which incidentally is very rare, glaucoma usually affects only people over the age of 60 years, for reasons still unknown, men blacks over the age of 40 years are most at risk of getting sick glaucoma.
If you are in one of these situations, you have a greater chance of getting glaucoma:
• Previous family history of glaucoma,
• Other eye problems,
• Surgery to the eye,
• Diabetes.
Diagnosis
Early diagnosis of glaucoma is essential to prevent decreased vision and blindness. In most patients, symptoms do not appear immediately, only a thorough eye examination routine can detect the presence of the disease.
A thorough eye examination includes the following exams:
1. Examination of visual acuity (visual acuity) using a chart to measure visual acuity at different distances.
2. An examination of the visual field extent the side or peripheral vision. In this way your ophthalmologist can tell if your peripheral vision is diminished, by acting as a suspected case of glaucoma.
3. An examination of the pupillary dilation helps the ophthalmologist to better see the optic nerve, to see if there are signs of injury. The ophthalmologist puts eye drops in the eye to dilate the pupil. After examination, the near vision may remain blurred for several hours.
4. Tonometry measures the fluid pressure within the eye. There are different types of tonometry. One of them uses a violet light to measure the pressure. Another type is the puff test, which measures the resistance of the eye to a puff of air.
5. During pachymetry the eye is anesthetized with eye drops and an ultrasound probe is used to measure the thickness of the cornea.
Care and treatment
After diagnosis, glaucoma can be treated in many different ways, initially testing with the standard drugs. If the drugs are unable to control effectively the eye pressure, may need surgery and is sometimes recommended to start the operation with laser therapy.
The drugs are administered in the form of eye drops and tablets, some of them make the eye produce less fluid, while others lower the eye pressure by promoting drainage. Medications for glaucoma usually have to be taken several times a day and most patients have no side effects. Some drugs, however, can cause headaches or have side effects at the expense of other parts of the body: for example, eye drop can cause burning and redness of the eye.
If you have to use your eye doctor will teach you how to put the drops in the eye, but it is important to say all other medicines you are taking before starting treatment for glaucoma.
For the treatment of glaucoma are available many drugs, especially if a drug is causing problems you do this because you may need to use one different, or just a different dosage.
Since glaucoma is asymptomatic in many cases, you might be tempted to stop taking the drugs, but it is essential to continue the therapy prescribed to prevent irreparable damage and blindness.
Surgery
The intervention with the laser, also called trabeculoplasty, may be necessary if the drugs are not sufficient to control the eye pressure. In some cases, you must continue taking medication for glaucoma after surgery with laser.
The eye is anesthetized with special drops while the patient is sitting in front of laser equipment el'oculista places a special lens in front of the eye.
A high energy beam is directed on the lens, which reflects on Further exercises in the eye. During surgery, you can see the flashes of light green or red.
The laser causes about 50-100 evenly spaced burns, these burns extend the drainage holes in the Further exercises and in this way the holes are opened and fluid drainage is more simple.
It may be necessary even without laser surgery, the purpose of an intervention of this kind is to practice a new opening through which fluid drainage will occur. Removes a tiny piece of tissue from the white of the eye (the sclera), so it creates a new opening that allows drainage of fluid from the eye.
Of course, after the intervention there remains no hole in the eye, the white of the eye is covered with a thin, transparent tissue, the conjunctiva. The liquid passes through the new opening and ends up under the conjunctiva, from here flows to the outside eye.
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