Table of ContentsI. Introduction |
It is estimated that around 3 million individuals in the United States have glaucoma and the National Eye Institute predicts that the number will reach 4.2 million by 2030 which is a 58% increase. And, according to the World Health Organization, around 4.5 million people globally are blind as the result of it. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can affect people of all ages although it particularly affects middle-aged people and the elderly. It is believed to be the second leading cause of blindness and can often occur suddenly without the onset of any symptoms. It develops because of damage to the optic nerve where the brain is unable to receive images from the eyes and in some cases, as much as 40% of the vision is lost before the affected individual begins to notice any symptoms. Once the vision is lost, it is permanent. Although there are several types of glaucoma, the two main types are primary open-angle glaucoma and secondary glaucoma both of which leads to blindness. Therefore, early detection is essential to slow the progression of the disease which is possible with regular eye examinations. And, in an attempt to raise awareness about Glaucoma, its serious implications on vision including risk factors and treatment options, January is considered the National awareness month by Prevent Blindness and other leading eye organizations. The National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP) is also designed to help spread awareness about glaucoma by communicating messages to people particularly among high risk group to prevent vision loss. Their outreach tools and tips help promote activities and events year-round and for those interested in supporting it, here is the link.
what are the different types of glaucoma?
There are various types of glaucoma that causes high pressure in the eye and the most common types of glaucoma include chronic (open angle) glaucoma, normal tension glaucoma, acute (angle closure) glaucoma and secondary glaucoma.
- Open-Angle Glaucoma
Around 90% of all glaucoma cases are open-angle glaucoma which develops slowly because of clogging of the drainage canals resulting in the increased eye pressure. It has a wide and open angle between the iris and cornea and is considered a lifelong condition that does not present any symptoms. This form of glaucoma is estimated to affect around three million people in the United States.
- Angle-Closure Glaucoma
This is a less common form of glaucoma which develops very quickly and is also caused by the blockage of the drainage canals resulting in a sudden rise in intraocular pressure. This type does present symptoms requiring immediate medical attention and develops because of the angle between the iris and cornea closing.
- Secondary glaucoma
This develops because of an identifiable cause resulting in the increased eye pressure damaging the optic nerve. The secondary glaucoma can develop because of a number of conditions such as eye injury, use of certain medications, diabetes and the advanced cases of cataract. The treatment for secondary glaucoma is based on the underlying cause which could include either medications or a conventional surgery.
Managing and Treating Glaucoma
Initially, the vision loss affects the peripheral vision continuing later to affect the central vision. There is no cure for glaucoma and the current treatment is based on the management of the condition and requires life-long monitoring. The treatment options include eye drops, laser treatment or surgery to reduce pressure in the eye. As the vision loss from glaucoma is irreversible, the treatment focuses on preventing further loss of vision. Laser surgery has also become very popular although the success rate is variable. Argon laser trabeculoplasty is used for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma that increases the drainage outflow although in several cases medications may still be required. This form of treatment has reduced the eye pressure in around 75% of the cases. The selective laser trabeculoplasty is a newer laser, also used for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma. The laser peripheral iridotomy enables the fluid to bypass its normal route and is used for the management of a wide variety of angle-closure glaucoma. In the case medications and laser therapies don’t effectively work to reduce the eye pressure, traditional surgery is used which may involve trabeculectomy, drain implant surgery and nonpenetrating surgery. Some of the other promising surgical alternative that is used to reduce the pressure includes Trabectome and Canaloplasty.
What Can You Do to Prevent Vision Loss?
There are several things an individual can do to protect the eyes and to reduce the risk of vision loss because of glaucoma.
- High risk individuals such as those aged over 60, with the family history of glaucoma, African Americans over the age of 40 and those with diabetes should get a complete eye examination to detect glaucoma in its initial stage.
- Even if an individual is not in the high-risk group, regular eye examination by the age of 40 should help detect glaucoma and other eye conditions in its initial stage.
- As open-angle glaucoma does not present any symptoms and are hereditary, so it is important to discuss with the family members about their vision in order to protect both yourself and theirs.
- Healthy lifestyle such as keeping active, controlling blood pressure and maintaining healthy weight can also help avoid vision loss from glaucoma.
How can you help raise awareness?
Spreading the word about this silent sight-stealing disease is important and some of the ways to help are;
- By talking to friends and family about glaucoma
- Getting involved in your local community through inviting expert speakers and group discussions
- Connecting on social media for regular updates on glaucoma research and treatments
- Reach out to other eye health organizations and plan a webinar
- Engage local media such as the newspapers, radio stations and televisions which can help educate people about glaucoma
- Join the National Eye Health Education Program of the National Eye Institute that is promoting awareness of glaucoma and here is the link to Glaucoma Social Media Kit
References
https://www.glaucoma.org/glaucoma/secondary-glaucoma.php
https://www.preventblindness.org/what-are-different-types-glaucoma
https://nei.nih.gov/nehep/programs/glaucoma/outreach
https://www.glaucomafoundation.org/treating_glaucoma.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/features/glaucoma-awareness/index.html
https://www.glaucoma.org/news/glaucoma-awareness-month.php