Are you over 40 years of age? If so, we recommend you to get regular eye checkups to screen for glaucoma and vision loss.

Glaucoma is the most common cause of irreversible blindness, asymptomatic until advanced stages. It is rightly called the ” Silent killer of vision ” as most patient do not have any symptoms until the advanced stage and by that time only little can be done.

The optic nerve provides visual information to your brain from your eyes. Glaucoma is a chronic progressive optic neuropathy which damages optic nerve,characterized by raised intra ocular pressure (IOP), optic nerve head (ONH) changes & visual field defects. But many patients have an IOP within normal range and a substantial proportion with normal IOP develops glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Besides raised IOP, other strongly associated factors include greater cup to disc ratio in ONH, thinner central cornea, shallow anterior chamber (A.C).

Issues in the management of Glaucoma are diagnosing the case at the earliest, even before any substantial structural damage has occurred. As IOP is the only recognizable and controllable cause hence assessing target IOP and controlling it to prevent any subsequent structural/ functional damage is the main stay of therapy. Newer imaging techniques help us provide information that is reproducible and free of inter-observer variability.

At our eye hospital, we specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma using the latest technology and techniques. Our team of skilled ophthalmologists will work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that may include medications, laser therapy, or surgery. We understand the importance of early detection and treatment of glaucoma and are committed to providing the highest level of care to preserve our patients’ vision and improve their quality of life.

Risk factors

• Raised Intra Ocular Pressure
• Family History of glaucoma
• Eye Injury
• Prolong use of steroids
• Being extremely nearsighted or farsighted
• As glaucoma is irreversiblethus early detection may control extend of disease and also secure avoidable blindness.  In most of cases however there might not be any risk factor, hence early detection by screening is the key to diagnosis.

Symptoms

• No symptoms- most common in initial phase
• Headache
• Eye pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Blurred vision
• Halos around lights
• Eye redness
• Tunnel vision

If left untreated, glaucoma will eventually cause blindness.

How is Glaucoma Diagnosed?

The only sure way to diagnose glaucoma is with a complete eye examination. A glaucoma screening that only checks eye pressure is not enough to find glaucoma.

During a glaucoma examination ophthalmologist will:

• Measure your eye pressure
• Inspect your eye’s drainage angle
• Examine your optic nerve for damage
• Test your peripheral (side) vision
• Take a picture or computer measurement of your optic nerve
• Measure the thickness of your cornea

How we manage Glaucoma

Glaucoma is usually treated by lowering your intraocular pressure. Treatment may include prescription eye drops, laser treatment, oral medications, surgery, or a combination of these, depending upon the severity of your condition.

Active participation of the patient is required in the form of compliance to the the treatment, regular check ups and investigations to keep the progression of Glaucoma under check.