Glaucoma: A Critical Look at The Leading Cause of Blindness
The World Health Organisation estimates that over 39 million people are blind and another 246 million people are suffering from low vision.
Glaucoma, a group of related eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, is one of the main causes of blindness around the world.
In the eye, there is a clear fluid which passes through the anterior chamber. When it builds up, it leads to an increase in eye pressure, thereby causing eye damage. This damage can lead to glaucoma.
There are two types of glaucoma: the unsuspecting open-angle and acute-angle closure glaucoma.
Open-angle glaucoma comes with no symptoms. People who have this usually do not notice a problem with their vision until the disease becomes full blown. People with glaucoma notice they have decreased vision as if they need to squint like they are looking through a tunnel.
A person with acute-angle closure, on the other hand, experiences headaches, eye redness, Glaucomatous halos and eye pain.
A study finds that glaucoma and blood pressure are strongly linked. This link is called Ocular perfusion pressure. When there is high pressure in the eye, the possibility of blood delivering oxygen to the eye and to remove unwanted products is significantly reduced.
Some studies have shown that as much as 40% of people with normal eye range still end up having glaucoma while the reverse can also be the case for those with high eye pressure. This is because glaucoma is determined by how much pressure a person’s optic nerve can carry.
Because you cannot be too sure, a visit to the hospital for eye exams can help keep your eyes in check and slow down the progression of the disease.
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