Glaucoma: "The Sneak Thief of Sight"
How Glaucoma Destroys Sight | Treatment
Hereditariness | Warning
Signs | Types
Glaucoma (pronounced glaw-koma)
is a disease of the eye in which the pressure inside the eye rises above
normal. This excessive pressure can destroy both retinal cells and optic
nerve fibers and blind the eye.
Glaucoma, it should be emphasized, is not infectious.
It is not cancer. It is not a drying up of tear ducts or caused
by overuse of your eyes. It is, however, a serious disease and one
that deserves prompt medical attention.
Glaucoma has been called the "sneak thief of sight"
because in its most prevalent form it is a disease that comes on gradually
before the victim is aware anything is wrong. Even infants may have glaucoma,
but adults are the most frequent victims, and the number affected climbs
alarmingly after age 35. Recent evidence compiled by the National
Eye Institute indicates that glaucoma is more prevalent, begins earlier
in life, and progresses faster among Blacks than other ethnic groups. Glaucoma,
according to national estimates, afflicts more than two million Americans.
Many of these people do not realize that they may be facing blindness unless
they act promptly to obtain treatment. One out of every seven blind persons
today is blind from glaucoma.
How Does Glaucoma Destroy Sight?
 Each year, about 4,000 Americans are blinded by glaucoma
even though the disease can be controlled and blindness prevented through
early detection and immediate treatment.
The loss of sight is gradual. It begins as loss of side
vision, then it continues toward the center of vision, until finally all
sight is destroyed. Because the visual loss is gradual in the early stages
of the disease, few signs of the disorder are recognized. Affected persons
are unaware of the progressive loss of sight. They may see objects clearly,
even read a wall chart with normal central vision, but, at the same time,
may be blind in the outer areas of the visual field, where sight has been
lost due to increased eye pressure. A wall chart test
will not disclose this creeping blindness.
People with normal vision can stand at a street intersection
and see traffic from both directions. Those with advanced glaucoma can see
only straight ahead, as if they were looking through a long tube.
Glaucoma permanently narrows the visual field until only
a small area of straight-ahead vision remains, then none at all. The tragedy
is that sight destroyed by glaucoma can never be restored.
Glaucoma Can be Treated And Arrested
 While chronic glaucoma cannot be cured, it can be controlled
and held in check, chiefly through the use of daily medications that either increase fluid removal from the eye or decrease the amount
of fluid produced within the eye. In more severe cases, surgery may be required
to improve the drainage of eye fluids.
Eye doctors and medical researchers continue to seek better
ways to treat and control glaucoma. Their efforts in recent years have led
to earlier detection of the disease, new drugs, and more successful surgical
techniques.
Glaucoma Can Run in Families
Glaucoma is not contagious, but glaucoma is likely to "run"
in families. Because of this additional risk, relatives of glaucoma patients
should take personal warning and schedule eye examinations at least
once every year, even there is no apparent eye trouble.
Warning Signs
While glaucoma can occur without warning, the following
symptoms are possible. Any single symptom is a good reason
for you to check with your eye doctor, hospital clinic, or your local health
department for an eye examination.
- Rainbow colored rings (halos) around lights.
- A narrowing of the visual field (loss of side vision).
- Frequent changes in eye glass prescriptions without improvement
of vision.
- Abnormally poor vision in dim light.
- Fuzzy or blurred vision which may
come and go.
- Vague headaches or eye aches, particularly
after watching movies or television in darkened rooms.
Types of Glaucoma
There are two major kinds of glaucoma:
1. Open angle glaucoma is the most common, and its victims are frequently unaware of its presence and progression.
2. Angle closure glaucoma is uncommon. The condition causes severe pain and loss of vision and requires immediate
medical care. If you have it, you will know instantly. One doctor called
it a "toothache" in the eye. It attacks suddenly and painfully.
Pressure inside the eye rises quickly to a damaging level, usually causing
severe headache, pain in the eyes, and possible vomiting. The pressure must
be reduced immediately, or blindness will result, sometimes in a matter
of days. Like acute appendicitis it presents a critical emergency, but acute
glaucoma can be permanently cured by medicine and surgery.
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