21/05/2025
🧐 What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is an eye disease where the intraocular pressure becomes too high, damaging the optic nerve. The optic nerve is essential for transmitting image information from the eyes to the brain. Glaucoma usually affects peripheral vision and can, in the worst case, lead to blindness.
👀 Symptoms of Glaucoma:
Glaucoma is often referred to as the "silent thief of sight" because it doesn't show obvious symptoms in the early stages. Many patients only realize something is wrong when the disease is already advanced. The most common symptoms include:
Gradually blurry vision, especially peripheral vision
Pain or discomfort in the eyes
Colored halos (especially when looking at light sources)
Poor night vision
Sudden vision loss or red eyes (in acute glaucoma)
🧠 Risk Factors for Glaucoma:
Age: The older you get, the higher the risk of developing glaucoma.
Family history: Those with a family history of glaucoma are at greater risk.
Increased intraocular pressure: High intraocular pressure is the main risk factor for glaucoma.
Other health conditions: Such as diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.
Nearsightedness: People with severe nearsightedness are at higher risk for glaucoma.
💡 How to Prevent Glaucoma?
Although it cannot be fully prevented, we can take measures to reduce the risk:
Regular eye exams: Especially for people over 50, regular checks of intraocular pressure and optic nerve health are important.
Control intraocular pressure: If you have high intraocular pressure or other risk factors for glaucoma, timely treatment should be started.
Healthy lifestyle: A balanced diet, regular exercise, and healthy sleep habits help reduce intraocular pressure.
🏥 Treatment for Glaucoma:
Medication: Medications can help lower intraocular pressure and prevent further damage to the optic nerve.
Laser treatment: Laser treatment can help improve fluid drainage and lower intraocular pressure.
Surgical treatment: If medications and laser treatments are not sufficient, surgery may be needed to lower intraocular pressure.
