World Glaucoma Week

World Glaucoma week is a global initiative that occurs every year to raise awareness about glaucoma.

Glaucoma is the most common cause of irreversible blindness, and it is estimated that around 80 million people in the world are living with glaucoma. Approximately 50% of these individuals with glaucoma are unaware they have the disease!

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, most commonly associated with high pressure within the eye. A certain level of pressure is needed for the eye to keep its shape, however if this pressure gets too high it can cause stress to the optic nerve leading to damage.

What signs and symptoms are there?

The early stages of glaucoma have no symptoms and significant vision can be lost before you experience any signs of glaucoma. Glaucoma affects your peripheral vision, which is why you may not notice any changes in your vision. However, some people may notice their vision becoming blurry or misty, coloured rings around white lights and eye discomfort. If any of these symptoms are experienced, it is advised to seek medical advice immediately.

How is glaucoma diagnosed?

Glaucoma is diagnosed through an eye examination. By attending regular eye examinations, your optometrist will be able to detect glaucoma in its earliest stages and monitor the condition. At an eye examination there are a few ways in which we will check for glaucoma, these include the eye pressure test which measures the pressure within your eye and using our OCT to take scans of the back of the eye, assessing the health of the optic nerve.

How is glaucoma treated?

There is no cure for glaucoma, however there are some methods of treatment for the condition. Eye drops are the most common treatment, these decrease the amount of fluid in the eye either by increasing the drainage of fluid from the eye or reducing the amount that is made. Another treatment method is laser treatment. The laser is targeted at the drainage channel in the eye, opening it up to increase the drainage of fluid from the eye.

If you have any concerns about your eye health, or would like more information about glaucoma, please speak to a member of our team at your local MKO today.