Show o eve V v By Dr Richard L L look Luekenga t a I k Glaucoma leading cause of human blindness Glaucoma Is a disease which is caus- caus caused caused ed by increased Intra antra ocular intra intra- inside Inside pertaining ocular to the eye Pressure which is one of the leading causes of blindness Inside the eye there Is fluid that Is secreted which brings nutrients and oxygen to some of its tissues This fluid then leaves the eye through a narrow angle In the front per por- Lion tion portion of the eye There are two basic causes for glaucoma to occur One is when there Is too much of this fluid being produced or two when the fluid Is having a hard time exiting through the angle in the front portion por- por tion portion of the eye Either of these will cause increased pressure Inside the eye As the pressure Inside the eye in- in increases increases creases It blocks off the flow of blood to the visual cells In the back of the eye When these visual cells start loosing the nutrition that comes to them from the blood they soon die and hence you start loosing portions of your vision without even realizing what is happening There are really basically two types or forms Corms of oC glaucoma The first one is call call- called ed open angle glaucoma and the second Is called closed angle glaucoma In clos clos- closed ed angle glaucoma which is the more acute form Corm but only five percent of the population get you will have the follow follow- following following ing symptoms You will experience periods of dull aches In and around the eye with attacks of blurred vision You will see halos around lights and may have nausea and some vomiting The In- In Incidence incidence of closed angle glaucoma Is higher in females than males Treatment is primarily Surgical Diagnosis is by careful case history and examination by your optometrist In open angle glaucoma which occurs in the majority of patients who have glaucoma there are really tro no symptoms for Cor the patient to notice This type of glaucoma is normally found Cound on routine examinations with your optometrist He will normally find in eased intra ocular intra ocular pressure and evidence of visual field defects The incidence is about the same for Cor male and female If there is a history of oC glaucoma In your your mother or father the chances in- in increase increase crease a about bout five times that you may get It Also the chances of getting glaucoma increase with age and become greater with increased age and a history of oC ill ill- n ss diabetes thyroid arthritis etc Treatment with open angle glaucoma is primarily with medication If you have any questions regarding your eyes please send them addressed to the editor Vernal Express and Ill I'll be happy to answer them In one of oC these articles |