A glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve. The disease is considered dangerous because it goes unnoticed in the early stages with very few symptoms and no pain but if left untreated, glaucoma is progressive, irreversible and leads to complete blindness.
Here are a few facts about glaucoma that one must know about,
● In glaucoma, the nerve connecting the brain and eyes, the optic nerve gets damaged, usually due to increased pressure on the eye.
● In the early stages of glaucoma, the peripheral vision is affected.
● The best way to diagnose glaucoma is dilated eye test, intraocular pressure is also measured.
● Anyone can have glaucoma but the risks are high in people above 40 years of age, patients of Diabetes and high blood pressure.
● Glaucoma is controlled using two methods
● Medicated eye drops
● Laser and minor surgical procedures
The second of the two methods used in controlling glaucoma that is the laser procedure and the minor surgical procedure are the new ones. So let us have a more in-depth look into both of these procedures.
The laser procedures are preferred by the healthcare experts unless there is severe damage to the optic nerve or the pressure is very high. In these procedures, a focused beam of light is used to treat the eye’s drainage system (trabecular meshwork). This helps in increasing the flow of fluid and in reducing the pressure. The patient undergoing such procedures can resume daily activity within a day or two of the procedure. The procedures do not completely eliminate the need for medication but the amount required is decreased. There are different types of laser procedures for different kinds of glaucoma.
Laser procedures:
● Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT)
● Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT)
● Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI)
Type of glaucoma:
● Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG)
● Narrow angles and narrow-angle glaucoma
The surgical procedures, also known as incisional surgery involve the creation of a drainage hole with the use of a surgical tool. The new opening allows intraocular fluid to bypass clogged canals and in turn reduces the intraocular pressure. These surgeries are taken up only when the laser surgeries fail to lower the eye pressure.
These surgeries are carried out using local anesthetics and relaxing medications and therefore in most cases, there is no pain involved. In some cases, the newly created drain starts closing up as the body treats the drain as an injury. This mostly occurs in in younger adults and to control the same, anti-wound healing drugs are used to slow down the healing process.
Glaucoma is considered as a silent thief of sight, as it shows very low to no symptoms in its early stages and if left untreated, can cause complete blindness. So if you have any minor issues related to the eye you should take care of it immediately and you should definitely consult your eye specialist and get checked for glaucoma today.
If you are looking for the best eye hospital in Nagpur for glaucoma-related queries and tests, Madhav Netralaya is the option you should choose. Experienced doctors and top of the line technology at the Netralaya assures that you get the best possible glaucoma treatment in Nagpur.
Make sure you to get yourself checked and for more information, please visit www.madhavnetralaya.org