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How to get rid of stuff » Health Problems » How To Get Rid Of Glaucoma
 

How To Get Rid Of Glaucoma

November 25th, 2008 by admin
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The eye is arguably one of the most important and precious organs in the human body. It gives shape and feature to the world around you. So many metaphors have already been used to describe it: the window of the soul, the mirror of truth, that which can never lie. All of these have been incorporated in songs, poems and stories. The eye is considered both mystical and practical.

Imagine yourself wrapped in darkness and void for all of eternity. You see nothing that resembles bright yellows, angry reds, or somber greens. This may be the case for victims of a disease called glaucoma.


Darkness Falls

Glaucoma is a serious eye condition that damages the optic nerve of your eyes, causing loss of vision due to too much intraocular pressure (IOP). The intraocular pressure is the internal pressure that allows your eye to hold its shape and function properly. Too much pressure can cause your eye to pop. In the case of glaucoma, too much pressure damages the optic nerves.

Glaucoma is often called the silent or sneaky thief because the loss of vision is gradual and oftentimes, you won't know you already have the condition until it's too late. Once your vision is gone due to glaucoma, it can never be regained. As such, it is very important that glaucoma be diagnosed as early as possible, especially since it is the second leading cause of blindness around the world. For people under 50, the chances of getting glaucoma is one in two hundred, while it becomes one in ten when you're 80 years old and over.

The two main types of this disease are:

  • Primary open-angle glaucoma – You will notice almost no kind of symptom for this kind of glaucoma until the advanced stage is reached. There is a gradual loss of vision as increased eye pressure continues to damage the optic nerve. Tunnel vision often precedes loss of eyesight.

  • Acute angle-closure glaucoma – When the normal drainage canals inside the eye gets physically blocked, there will be a sudden increase of intraocular pressure due to the build-up of the aqueous humor or the the fluid in your eye. Development of this type of glaucoma is usually rapid and permanent loss of vision usually happens within a day of the attack so immediate medical attention is required. Aside from severe pain, other signs and symptoms include:

    • blurry vision
    • reddening of the eye
    • halos seen around light sources
    • nausea and vomiting

    • When the cause has been known, they are called primary conditions. When the source of the glaucoma can be traced to a known cause such as an eye injury or disease, then they're called secondary conditions. For the latter, symptoms usually depend on what has caused the glaucoma in the first place.


    Getting Rid of Glaucoma

    If you have glaucoma, you should take your medication regularly. Have your eyes frequently examined to make sure that you can preempt the condition before it worsens. There are also some things you can do in conjunction with frequent check-ups:

  • Wear proper eye protection. If you're in a line of work that puts your eyes at risk, then wear something that will protect them. Eye trauma due to accidents can result in an increase of pressure in the eyes.

  • Deal with stress. Acute angle-closure glaucoma may be triggered by stress. Engage in relaxation techniques such as meditation.

  • Maintain a healthy diet. Take in foods that are beneficial to your eyes. Vitamins A, C, E, zinc, and copper help the eyes function properly.

    • The treatments available are mainly focused on easing the intraocular pressure build-up within your eye. There are many ways to do this: improve aqueous flow, reduce aqueous production, or a combination of both. Here are several treatments available:

  • Eyedrops. Several types of eyedrops doctors are often prescribed, such as beta blockers and alpha-adrenergic agents. They help reduce the production of aqueous humor. Prostraglandin analogues and epinephrine compounds, on the other hand, increase the outflow of aqueous humor.

    If your doctor has prescribed an eyedrop treatment for you, then you have to follow the medication dosage to a tee. Don't even think about skipping even a few doses since it can be very dangerous to your optic nerves.

  • Oral medications. Your doctor may also prescribe oral medications together with eyedrop treatment. Examples of these are carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.

  • Neuroprotective drugs. These are primarily used to prevent damage to the nerves with conditions relating to glaucoma.

  • Surgery. Surgery is the last recourse of action for people who can't tolerate simple medications. Under surgery, there are several types available:

    A) Laser surgery. A procedure called trabeculoplasty has been used for the past couple of decades to treat open-angle glaucoma. In this surgery, a high-energy laser beam is used to shrink part of the trabecular meshwork in the eye, causing other parts of the meshwork to open up.

    B) Conventional surgery. A filtering procedure called a trabeculectomy is used to lower the pressure in the eye. An opening in the white of your eye is made and a small piece of the trabecular meshwork is removed. The aqueous humor can then leave the eye through the hole, easing the pressure.

    C) Drainage implants. In this kind of operation, a small silicon tube is inserted in the eye to drain the aqueous humor, easing pressure.

    • Since the loss of vision due to glaucoma cannot be recovered, frequent checkups are mandatory in order to preempt glaucoma. Have an eye exam every two to four years if you're within 40 to 65 years old, and every one to two years if you're more than 65. Your vision is one of the best things you possess, so take good care of it.








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