WHAT IS GLAUCOMA?
Glaucoma is a group of diseases where the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, becomes damaged.
This damage is most often caused by abnormally high pressure, called intraocular pressure, in the eye.
The fluid inside the eye, called aqueous humor, usually flows out of the eye through a mesh-like channel. If this channel becomes blocked, or the eye is producing too much fluid, the liquid builds up, causing the pressure to increase.
Experts do not always know what causes the blockage. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness for people over the age of 60 and tends to run in families.
Less-common causes of glaucoma include a blunt or chemical injury to the eye, severe eye infection, blocked blood vessels inside the eye, and inflammatory conditions. It’s rare, but eye surgery to correct another condition can sometimes bring it on. It usually affects both eyes, but it may be worse in one than the other.
Though most types of glaucoma cannot be prevented, early detection and ongoing monitoring of eye health is key when it comes to managing and limiting the vision loss caused by the disease.
WHAT ARE THE FIRST SIGNS OF GLAUCOMA?
Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs. The effect is so gradual that you may not notice a change in vision until the condition is at an advanced stage.
Because vision loss due to glaucoma can't be recovered, it's important to have regular eye exams that include measurements of your eye pressure so a diagnosis can be made in its early stages and treated appropriately. If glaucoma is recognized early, vision loss can be slowed or prevented. If you have the condition, you'll generally need treatment for the rest of your life.
SYMPTOMS
Glaucoma does not usually have any discernible symptoms to begin with. It tends to develop slowly over many years and affects the edges of your vision (peripheral vision) first. For this reason, many people do not realise they have glaucoma, and it's often only picked up during a routine eye test.
If you do notice any symptoms, they might include blurred vision, or seeing rainbow-coloured circles around bright lights. Both eyes are usually affected, although it may be worse in 1 eye.
Very occasionally, glaucoma can develop suddenly and cause:
- Intense eye pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- A red eye
- Headache
- Tenderness around the eye
GLAUCOMA DIAGNOSIS
Glaucoma tests are painless and don’t take long. Your optometrist or eye doctor will test your vision. They’ll use drops to widen (dilate) your pupils and examine your eyes. They’ll check your optic nerve for signs of glaucoma. They may take photographs so they can spot changes at your next visit. They’ll do a test called tonometry to check your eye pressure.
A normal result means your eye pressure is within the normal range. The normal eye pressure range is 10 to 21 mm Hg. The thickness of your cornea can affect measurements. Normal eyes with thick corneas have higher readings, and normal eyes with thin corneas have lower readings. Normal intraocular pressure helps support the shape of the eye, which in turn supports the 2 million parts of the eye that help you see.
A visual field test is usually also carried out to see if you have lost any peripheral vision.
TYPES OF GLAUCOMA INCLUDE:
Open-angle glaucoma
Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease. The drainage angle formed by the cornea and iris remains open, but the trabecular meshwork is partially blocked. This causes pressure in the eye to gradually increase. This pressure damages the optic nerve. It happens so slowly that you may lose vision before you're even aware of a problem.
Angle-closure glaucoma
Angle-closure glaucoma, also called closed-angle glaucoma, occurs when the iris bulges forward to narrow or block the drainage angle formed by the cornea and iris. As a result, fluid can't circulate through the eye and pressure increases. Some people have narrow drainage angles, putting them at increased risk of angle-closure glaucoma.
Angle-closure glaucoma may occur suddenly (acute angle-closure glaucoma) or gradually (chronic angle-closure glaucoma). Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a medical emergency.
Normal-tension glaucoma
In normal-tension glaucoma, your optic nerve becomes damaged even though your eye pressure is within the normal range. No one knows the exact reason for this. You may have a sensitive optic nerve, or you may have less blood being supplied to your optic nerve. This limited blood flow could be caused by atherosclerosis — the buildup of fatty deposits (plaque) in the arteries — or other conditions that impair circulation.
Glaucoma in children
It's possible for infants and children to have glaucoma. It may be present from birth or develop in the first few years of life. The optic nerve damage may be caused by drainage blockages or an underlying medical condition.
Pigmentary glaucoma
In pigmentary glaucoma, pigment granules from your iris build up in the drainage channels, slowing or blocking fluid exiting your eye. Activities such as jogging sometimes stir up the pigment granules, depositing them on the trabecular meshwork and causing intermittent pressure elevations.
RISK FACTORS
Your age, ethnicity, family history and some medical conditions can increase your chances of getting glaucoma.
Because chronic forms of glaucoma can destroy vision before any signs or symptoms are apparent, be aware of these risk factors:
- Having a family history of glaucoma
- Having high internal eye pressure (intraocular pressure)
- Being over age 60
- Having certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and sickle cell anaemia
- Having corneas that are thin in the centre
- Being extremely nearsighted or farsighted
- Having had an eye injury or certain types of eye surgery
- Taking corticosteroid medications, especially eyedrops, for a long time
- Are of African American, Irish, Russian, Japanese, Hispanic, Inuit, or Scandinavian descent
PREVENTION
EAT A HEALTHY DIET
- Eating a healthy and balanced diet is helpful when managing your eye pressure. If you have issues balancing your blood sugar levels, it can affect your eye pressure.
- To help lower your blood sugar levels, you should reduce your sugar and carbs.
- Improving your diet will not only help your eye pressure but your general health too.
- Eating a healthy diet means that you’re getting all the proper nutrients your body needs. This includes foods rich in vitamins A, E, and C and fatty acids since they are good for your eye health.
Examples of foods to eat include salmon, nuts and dark leafy greens.
SUPPLEMENTS
Lutein Zeaxanthin and Meso-zeaxanthin.
There is a huge amount of research which suggests that lutein and zeaxanthin are the most important nutrients for eye health, to protect against and reduce the progression of eye conditions such as glaucoma and age–related macular degeneration and to protect the sight of healthy individuals too.
These powerful antioxidant nutrients cannot be made in the body and therefore must be supplied by the food we eat. Together they form macular pigment, which helps to protect the eyes against the damaging effects of blue light.
SELF CARE
These self-care steps can detect glaucoma in its early stages, which is important in preventing vision loss or slowing its progress.
Get regular dilated eye examinations. Regular comprehensive eye exams can help detect glaucoma in its early stages, before significant damage occurs.
Reduce your caffeine intake. Drinking high levels of caffeine is connected to higher eye pressure. If you like to drink several cups of coffee per day or energy drinks, you need to reduce the amount you drink.
Know your family's eye health history. Glaucoma tends to run in families. If you're at increased risk, you may need more frequent screening.
Exercise safely. Regular, moderate exercise may help prevent glaucoma by reducing eye pressure.
Relaxation techniques. Stress may trigger an attack of acute angle-closure glaucoma. If you're at risk of this condition, find healthy ways to cope with stress. Meditation and other techniques may help.
Take prescribed eyedrops regularly. Glaucoma eyedrops can significantly reduce the risk that high eye pressure will progress to glaucoma.
Wear eye protection. Serious eye injuries can lead to glaucoma. Wear eye protection when using power tools or playing high-speed racket sports in enclosed courts.
USUAL MEDICAL TREATMENTS
It is not possible to reverse any loss of vision that occurred before glaucoma was diagnosed. However, if it’s detected early enough, treatments can help stop your vision getting worse.
The treatment recommended for you will depend on the type of glaucoma you have, but the options include:
- Eye drops – to reduce the pressure in your eyes - lowering eye pressure can help you keep the sight you have
- Laser treatment – to open up the blocked drainage tubes or reduce the production of fluid in your eyes
- Surgery – to improve the drainage of fluid
Most people with glaucoma who follow their treatment plan and have regular eye exams are able to keep their vision.
HOW BIOMED CAN HELP
Claudia, your Health Care Professional at BioMed, focuses on your overall health and wellbeing, treating the body as a series of systems which need to be in balance for optimum health.
Following an assessment, using Computerised Health Screening if appropriate, any health concerns, along with possible vitamin deficiencies or systems imbalances, can be addressed.
Claudia will formulate a personalise Health Plan to fit your individual profile. This may combine a variety of treatments, nutritional supplementation and/or Bioregulatory Medicine, and lifestyle changes.
