Glaucoma: how to recognize and how to be treated

What is glaucoma, and where does it come

Glaucoma - a chronic disease in which the optic nerve that sends the image to the brain is damagedWhat Is Glaucoma? due to a high intraocular pressure. It rises when the eye fluid builds up in front of the eye. If not treated, it can lead to total blindness.

According to WHOGlaucoma is second leading cause of blindness globallyGlaucoma - the second leading cause of blindness worldwide.

Which is why there is a disease difficult to ascertain. But the UK National Health Service identifiedGlaucoma several risk factors.

• Age. The older you are, the more likely to get sick. Especially after 50 years.
• Ethnicity. It is known that the disease is more common in African Americans, Hispanics and Asians.
• Genetics. If your family someone already had glaucoma, the risk increases.
• Other diseases and disorders including farsightedness, nearsightedness, diabetes, Heart disease, high blood pressure, eye injury.

What are the symptoms of glaucoma

Symptoms vary depending on the type and stage of the disease. Common symptomsWhat Is Glaucoma? are as follows:

• blurred vision;
• redness of the eye;
• Pain in the eyes;
• the appearance of bright circles when viewed in the light;
• spot and fog in the eyes;
• tunnel vision - loss of peripheral viewing.

What types of glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma

The most common type: developingTypes of Glaucoma 90% of all patients with glaucoma. At an early stage it is difficult to recognize - the disease may progress slowly and unnoticed for several years. A majority of signs other than visual impairment, there are already at advanced stages.

The acute angle-closure glaucoma

Symptoms of this type, in contrast, appear sharply. They are very visible, and progresses rapidly, often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Pull in this case is impossible: in acute angle-closure glaucoma patient required urgent medical care.

Normal pressure glaucoma

This type of disease in which the optic nerve is not damaged due to high intraocular pressure, and for unknown reason. experts suggestGlaucomaThe reason is the high sensitivity of the nerve or into the circulatory deterioration.

congenital glaucoma

A rare disease that can be inherited. It appears in children due to improper or incomplete development of the drainage channels eyes.

When to see a doctor

Any of the above symptoms - reason to visit an ophthalmologist immediately. Otherwise, you can lose sight.

If you suddenly lost peripheral vision and you feel sick, call the emergency number of 103 or 112.

How to treat glaucoma

you can not recover your eyesight, you can only stop the deterioration.

Constant control of eye pressure and regularly monitored ophthalmologist can help preserve vision for many years.

Alexander Kulik, ophthalmologist surgeon

There are several treatment options. Which is suitable for you depends on the type of glaucoma and neglected diseases.

Eye drops

A lot of them, but the essence of the action is the same: they maintain normal eye pressure.

In no case do not take any self-drops from glaucoma. Some patients need multiple medications. Therefore, only a doctor can pick them up. Usually use drops 1-2 times a day, but the exact schedule determined by the physician.

Here's how to buryEye Drop Tips medicine:

• Sitting, standing or lying down, tilt the head back.
• Gently pull the lower eyelid with the index finger to form a pocket.
• Look up and hold a bottle over the eye without touching it. Drip pocket in the desired amount of liquid. Do not blink and do not touch the hands.
• Close your eyes and sit as three minutes.
• Gently press on the inner corner of the eye over a century. Keep the finger in a position a minute. This will increase the effectiveness of the medication.

If you use several tools at the same time, after each instillation waitGlaucoma at least five minutes before proceeding to the next.

neuroprotective treatment

This is a course of injections under the eyes and intramuscularly. Injections must Doctor. Neuroprotective agents to protect the retina of the eye, prevent cell damage.

laser treatment

For such therapy pass when drops and injections do not help. Different methods are used for open-and-closure glaucoma. In the first case it is trabeculoplasty, in the second - iridectomy. Treatment is performed without general anesthesia, using only a local anesthetic for the eyes.

Unfortunately, the laser is not a panacea: sometimes the vision continues to deteriorate.

Surgery

There are several types of operations, select the appropriate option would be a doctor.

After surgery, the doctor will prescribe inspection and possibly additional procedures. During the first two weeks of vision may be blurry, but then has to go back to normal.

What can be done at home

Of course, to cure a serious disease can not be yourself. But you can try to control the eye pressure.

Here's how to do itGlaucoma:

• Eat wholesome food. Good nutrition provides the body with all the necessary nutrients and vitamins that are important for eye health. Especially lean on products which contain zinc, copper, selenium, C vitamins, E, and A. This is nuts, spinach, pumpkin seeds, mushrooms, liver, wild rose, citrus, vegetable oils.
• Train, if you have open-angle glaucoma. Regular exercise can reduceHow to Slow Glaucoma Progression eye pressure. But you definitely need a training plan, agreed with the doctor. Not all exercises can be done in glaucoma. For example, the need to avoid any inclinations of the head.
• Give up coffee. It can improveEffect of caffeine on the intraocular pressure in patients with primary open angle glaucoma pressure.
• Do not drink too much fluid at once. Do it gradually - throughout the day, rather than in one fell swoop.
• Avoid direct sunlight, do not go to a tanning salon. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation increasesSummertime Tips the risk of eye diseases.