Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can steal sight without warning or symptoms. Over 3 Million Americans have it, and less than half know.
Glaucoma Introduction
Glaucoma Overview
Glaucoma Awareness
The 2 Main Types of Glaucoma
The two main types of glaucoma are primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and angle-closure glaucoma. These are marked by an increase of intraocular pressure (IOP), or pressure inside the eye. When optic nerve damage has occurred despite a normal IOP, this is called normal tension glaucoma.
Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma
This is the most common form of glaucoma, affecting about three million Americans. It happens when the eye’s drainage canals become clogged over time. The pressure inside the eye rises due to clogging of the drain of the eye. So, the inside of the eye is producing fluid properly, but it is not draining well. The area where the fluid drains, the angle, appears to be open, but the clogging problem occurs further inside the drainage canals, similar to a clogged pipe below the drain in a sink.
Most people have no symptoms and no early warning signs. If open-angle glaucoma is not diagnosed and treated, it can cause a gradual loss of vision. This type of glaucoma develops slowly and sometimes without noticeable sight loss for many years. It usually responds well to medication, especially if caught early and treated.
Angle-Closure Glaucoma
Normal Tension Glaucoma (NTG)
Normal tension glaucoma is also known as low-tension glaucoma or normal pressure glaucoma. In this type of glaucoma, the optic nerve is damaged even though intraocular pressure (IOP) is not very high. Doctors do not know why some people’s optic nerves suffer damage even though pressure levels are in the “normal” range (between 10-21 mm Hg).
The Glaucoma Research Foundation sponsored a collaborative international study to help determine the best treatment for this type of glaucoma. The study concluded that eye drops used to lower intraocular pressure were effective even in cases of normal tension glaucoma. Currently, most doctors treat normal tension glaucoma by keeping normal eye pressures as low as possible with medicines, laser surgery, or filtering surgery.
Treatment
Medications are usually sufficient to treat most cases of glaucoma. Sometimes a laser or even surgery may be necessary. Lasers can include an SLT to the trabecular meshwork to help facilitate drainage or an peripheral iridotomy which creates an opening in the iris to provide an alternative to the pupil for shunting fluid. This is helpful to prevent attacks of angle-closure glaucoma in patients with narrow angles.
Clarity Eye Care & Surgery
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