Glaucoma

What it Glaucoma

  • Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve that generally results in gradual loss of peripheral vision.
  • Because it gradually steals the peripheral vision over years or decades you may not notice you have glaucoma until it is very advanced.

the sneak thief of sight

  • Unfortunately the optic nerve has no ability to regenerate and glaucoma damage can never be reversed.
  • Damage can only be prevented making early diagnosis and management critical.
  • The only way to slow the damage caused by glaucoma is to lower the pressure in the eye.

Types of Glaucoma

  • Open angle glaucoma: the optic nerve is damaged and the pressure in the eye must be lowered to minimize further damage. This is by far the most common form of glaucoma in Australia.
  • Angle Closure: the drainage pathway is being blocked leading to elevated pressure that may predispose to glaucoma. Laser or surgery can be used to treat this condition.
  • Acute glaucoma: is a rapid and extreme elevation in eye pressure that can lead to blindness within hours. It is very painful and requires urgent treatment at your nearest emergency department.

Diagnosis

  • Diagnosis of glaucoma can be very difficult in the early stages and can only be made by your ophthalmologist.
  • Everyone over the age of 50 should see their optometrist on a regular basis. If your optometrist suspects glaucoma they will refer you to an ophthalmologist to establish a diagnosis.
  • If you have a relative with glaucoma you should see your optometrist from the age of 40 as you are 8 times more likely to get glaucoma.
  • If you have glaucoma encourage your relatives to see their optometrist to get checked.

Treatment

  • There is no cure for glaucoma but it can be managed effectively and the vast majority of vision loss can be avoided.
  • The key is early diagnosis of those at risk of vision loss.
  • The only effective treatment is to lower the pressure in the eye.
  • This is done by:
    • Laser
    • Drops
    • Surgery

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness world-wide. Over 300,000 Australians have been diagnosed with glaucoma this will increase to 425,000 by 2025.