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Early diagnosis of glaucoma can prevent vision loss
The worldwide prevalence of glaucoma is increasing. This is due, in part, to the rapidly aging population. At present there are more than 60 million people worldwide with glaucoma. Most interesting, about half of the people who have glaucoma don’t even know it.
Glaucoma leads to blindness by damaging the optic nerve. Elevated pressure in the eye is a risk factor, but even people with normal pressure can lose vision to glaucoma. In terms of treatment, there is a challenge to diagnose and treat glaucoma before vision loss has occurred.
The major hurdle to the prevention of glaucoma blindness is the fact that the patient never has any symptom. There have been many advances in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.
Risk factors
- High intraocular pressure
- Old age
- Family history of glaucoma
- Hyperopia /near-sightedness
- Medical problems: diabetes, high blood pressure, migraine
A patient with these risk factors should get his eye check-up done regularly to rule out the possibility of glaucoma, and should especially inform the doctor.
Over the years glaucoma cases were diagnosed and monitored on the basis of intra-ocular pressure (IOP), visual field changes and optic nerve changes. Now it is known that IOP is affected by the central corneal thickness (CCT) of the patient. So, before labelling a person to have glaucoma it is mandatory to assess his CCT.
The second advancement is regarding the nerve fibre layer analysis (RNFL) with the help of OCT. This is known to detect glaucoma at a stage where visual field changes are not manifest. That is why it detects glaucoma at a very early stage where it is much easier to treat.
Newer advances are available with the visual field testing as well, where better techniques are available to detect the progression of glaucoma.
The key to preserving vision is timely diagnosis and treatment through regular complete eye examinations. The main aim of glaucoma treatment is to allow the glaucoma patient to maintain his or her independence and quality of life.
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