January is marked as National Glaucoma Awareness Month to bring attention to an irreversible eye disease that could result in vision loss.
In the U.S., around three million people have glaucoma, and it is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. Glaucoma currently has no cure. Nevertheless, early detection and treatment can halt the progression of the disease, potentially preventing blindness.
Dr. Michael de Guzman, a board-certified ophthalmologist at Simpson Eye Associates in West Dundee, Illinois, describes glaucoma as a group of eye diseases that cause progressive damage to the optic nerve of the eyes.
“The optic nerve is responsible for communicating between the eye and the brain to allow us to see,” he explained.
There are four main types of glaucoma:
1. Open-angle glaucoma – It is the most common type in the U.S.; nine in 10 people with glaucoma have the open-angle type. The exact cause is not known, but experts believe that it may be caused by pressure building up in the eye.
2. Angle-closure glaucoma or closed-angle glaucoma – It is caused by a sudden surge in eye pressure when fluid fails to drain out of the front of the eye. The condition requires immediate medical attention as it can lead to blindness in a few days.
3. Congenital glaucoma – It is a rare form of glaucoma in which babies are born with the condition that prevents fluid from draining normally.
4. Secondary glaucoma – It occurs due to a known cause such as the use of corticosteroids, eye injury, diabetes and uveitis (inflammation of the uvea or the middle layer of the wall of the eye).
Signs of Glaucoma
Glaucoma is often known as the “silent thief of sight” as patients typically do not have early symptoms. Half of the people who have the condition are not aware of it.
“The signs and symptoms of glaucoma can vary depending on the type of glaucoma. With primary open-angle glaucoma, there are often no early warning signs, and patients are usually not experiencing any symptoms at the time of…
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