परिभाषा
Glaucoma describes a group of eye disorders that causes damage to the optic nerve. This degenerative eye disease is one of the leading causes of chronic blindness in the US.
Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma in the United States. Within the eye, fluid is made and then drained from the eye. If either the fluid is made too quickly (not common) or drains too slowly, then the pressure of the eye can increase, leading to damage to the optic nerve.
This damage to the optic nerve can lead to a decrease in peripheral vision and may eventually cause blindness.
Open-angle glaucoma can often be controlled well with proper treatment, and most patients who receive treatment will maintain their vision.
का कारण बनता है
ओपन-एंगल ग्लूकोमा का सटीक कारण अज्ञात है। हालाँकि, रोग पैदा करने में भूमिका निभाने वाले कारकों में शामिल हैं:
- Older age—Aging may cause the aqueous humor to drain or be absorbed less efficiently.
जोखिम कारक
A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition. The following factors increase your chance of developing open-angle glaucoma:
- Family history of glaucoma
- एक आंख में ग्लूकोमा- इससे दूसरी आंख में ग्लूकोमा विकसित होने का खतरा बढ़ जाता है।
- Increased intraocular pressure (pressure inside the eye)
- Ethnic background—African Americans and Hispanics are at a greater risk of glaucoma.
- मधुमेह
- आंख पर चोट
- Certain eye abnormalities (eg, congenital defects)
लक्षण
Many patients with open-angle glaucoma experience few or no symptoms until the disease has progressed to the very late stages. Other symptoms may include:
- Loss of peripheral vision
- Tunnel vision
- अंधापन
निदान
आपका डॉक्टर आपके लक्षणों और चिकित्सा इतिहास के बारे में पूछेगा, और एक शारीरिक परीक्षण करेगा।
परीक्षण शामिल हो सकते हैं निम्नलिखित:
- Eye exam with pupil dilation
- Tonometry —a test to determine intraocular pressure
- Visual field test to determine vision loss
- Slit lamp examination
- Photographs of the optic nerve
- Examining the outflow channels of the angle (gonioscopy)
- Analysis of the nerve fiber layer around the optic nerve
उपचार
The goal of treatment is to reduce intraocular pressure. Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Treatment options include:
- Medications—Eye drops, and rarely pills, are often administered to reduce intraocular pressure.
- Laser treatment—Laser treatment may be used to reduce intraocular pressure in some people.
- Surgery—Surgery may be done to open a new outflow channel from the eye.
रोकथाम
Open-angle glaucoma cannot be prevented, but treatment can reduce the risk of vision loss. To help reduce your chance of vision loss caused by open-angle glaucoma, proper treatment of the condition is necessary. Since most people don’t have any symptoms of having glaucoma, regular eye examinations are extremely important, as early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent vision loss.