Glaucoma may cause blindness in the aged
POSTED March 12, 2010 - 13:55 | POSTED BY Neharika Sabharwal
Last edited by Harpreet Bhagrath on March 12, 2010 - 14:16
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide after cataract and the number one cause of irreversible blindness, affecting early 12 million people in India.
The condition causes progressive damage to the optic nerve. If left untreated, glaucoma causes permanent visual damage resulting in blindness. This is why glaucoma is referred to as the "silent blinding disease" or the "sneak thief of sight".
Though there are no obvious symptoms of glaucoma, severe headaches, nausea, pain in or around the eye ball, vomiting and some visual disturbances are some indications of the onset of the disease.
Dr. Devindra Sood, who runs an imaging centre in New Delhi exclusively to treat different kinds of glaucoma, stated, “We do not know why some people get glaucoma and some don't. But we do know that glaucoma is a dangerous eye disease because often there are no symptoms until serious damage has occurred.”
Regular eye-checks vital to halt glaucoma
Though there is no definite cure for glaucoma yet, the progressive damage to eye sight can be stemmed through early diagnosis.
Screening for the disease and then compliance with the treatment regimen is crucial to limit visual impairment.
It is vital to undergo regular eye check-ups, particularly if any unusual developments are noticed. Treatment with eye drops or surgery (conventional or laser) can halt or slow-down the disease and further vision loss.
Possible risk factors
In most cases, glaucoma affects the middle aged but the frequency increases with age. The condition is hereditary but there are other factors that can contribute to the ailment.
Explaining the risk factors involved, Dr. Sridhar Rao president Glaucoma Society of India, declared, “People with a family history of glaucoma are the most vulnerable.
“But there can be others who are at risk of having glaucoma, such as those with physical eye injuries, those who have used steroids for a long period of time, say in treating kidney diseases, depression, etc., and those with diabetes, thyroid problem, hypertension, high blood pressure, myopia and high intraocular pressure.
"But having said this, I would like to include everyone over the age of 40 to be at risk of getting glaucoma.”
According to the World Health Organization, there will be 60.5 million people with glaucoma around the world in 2010, which is likely to increase to 79.6 million by 2020.
