Glaucoma: The Silent Thief of Sight
"Glaucoma Leading to Vision Loss"
Hello, this is Bright St. Mary Eye Clinic.
Glaucoma is commonly known as an eye disease that occurs in people over 40, but with the increased use of electronic devices these days, the number of highly myopic patients is increasing, raising the probability of onset even in younger people.
It is a disease caused by abnormalities in the optic nerve function of the eye, which causes visual impairment and can lead to irreversible vision loss if it worsens.
The optic nerve, which plays an important role in transmitting visual information received by the eye to the brain, develops lesions, resulting in morphological and functional changes that lead to vision loss.
In the early stages, there are no symptoms, but as it worsens, the peripheral field of vision gradually narrows, and in the late stages, central vision deteriorates, making it a dangerous disease.
"Glaucoma Symptoms Appearing According to Various Causes"
There are various causes of glaucoma, but they can be divided into two common types:
Open-angle type: The drainage angle of the eye is open, and the optic nerve is slowly damaged. This is the most common form of glaucoma. In the early stages, there are no noticeable symptoms, so diagnosis is often delayed.
As optic nerve damage progresses, the field of vision gradually narrows, eventually leading to blindness.
Closed-angle type: The drainage angle of the eye is closed, causing a sudden and rapid increase in intraocular pressure.
Symptoms such as immediate eye pain, redness, blurred vision, headache, and nausea appear. If left untreated for a long time, the optic nerve is rapidly damaged, requiring emergency treatment.
There is also glaucoma with normal-range intraocular pressure, which occurs because the optic nerve tissue is weaker than that of normal people, even if the intraocular pressure is normal.
When blood sugar levels rise due to diabetes and blood is not properly delivered to the eyes, new blood vessels are created.
At this time, the aqueous humor in the eye is not properly drained, increasing intraocular pressure, and the cells in the eye are also subjected to pressure.
As a result, the cross-sectional part of the optic nerve is compressed, preventing the information transmitted by the light sensed by the photoreceptor cells from being transmitted to the visual center of the brain.
In general, early detection is difficult because there are no initial symptoms, so if you feel any abnormality in your eyes, you should immediately visit an ophthalmologist for a thorough examination.
Symptoms vary from person to person, so it is important to receive an accurate diagnosis through sufficient consultation and examination.
"Why Glaucoma Is Dangerous"
Acute glaucoma is usually detected quickly because of severe pain and sudden vision loss, but normal-tension and chronic glaucoma often do not show symptoms until the late stages, so early detection and treatment are important.
In many cases, the symptoms are not noticed until the middle stage, and it is only discovered after visual field defects occur in the late stage.
If the symptoms progress further, it can lead to blindness, making it a very dangerous eye disease.
As optic nerve damage progresses, the field of vision narrows, reducing the ability to respond to surrounding objects and sudden situations, increasing the likelihood of exposure to dangerous situations.
A narrowed field of vision can cause you to stumble and fall on stairs, hit your head on low doors, or have difficulty seeing signs and traffic lights while driving.
Also, because it is a progressive disease that cannot be completely cured once it occurs, it is important to detect and treat it early through regular eye exams.
"Quick Prevention Through Regular Checkups"
Since the onset stage often progresses slowly, the key is to detect it early, receive appropriate treatment, and slow down the progression.
General health checkups only measure vision and intraocular pressure, so it is difficult to detect if the results are within the normal range. You must visit an ophthalmologist for a thorough examination of the optic nerve and visual field to receive an accurate diagnosis.
Although it is difficult to cure completely, treatment with early diagnosis can prevent blindness, so regular eye exams are very important.
Recently, due to excessive smartphone use, many people are in a situation where intraocular pressure is rising, so young glaucoma in their 20s and 30s is also occurring frequently, so it is recommended that young people also receive eye disease checkups without letting their guard down.
At the ophthalmology clinic, the doctor performs a thorough examination of the patient's condition and cause and proceeds with treatment appropriate for the stage.
"Suitable Treatment Methods for Glaucoma Prevention"
In the early stages of glaucoma, drug treatment is used to lower intraocular pressure with drugs that increase aqueous humor outflow.
Recently, the types of eye drops have become more diverse, and the intraocular pressure-lowering effect has improved, so symptoms are often improved with eye drops.
If the symptoms are severe enough that medication is ineffective, laser treatment is required.
Laser treatment is a direct method of lowering intraocular pressure by changing the structure inside the eye, and it is especially effective for glaucoma caused by diabetes.
Our hospital is conducting selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), a non-surgical laser procedure that reduces the risk of complications and allows patients to return to their daily lives quickly.
Even if it is the same eye disease, we do not provide the same treatment like a machine, but precisely diagnose each patient's eye condition and proceed with appropriate treatment.
With a 1:1 medical staff assignment, we are in charge of everything from examination to surgery care, and we are aware of and care for the patient's condition in detail from beginning to end.
Because our hospital is large, we reduce the purchase cost of medical supplies and equipment and provide medical services at a reasonable cost, so patients are highly satisfied.
We hope that you will prevent vision loss by detecting eye diseases early through regular eye exams.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/oklasik3/223785460403
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