Primary open-angle glaucoma is among the most common eye diseases and its causes are still not totally clear. Even when there is no rise in eye pressure glaucoma could develop and this type of condition is known as normal tension or low tension glaucoma.

Glaucoma Risk Factors:

Being one of the common eye diseases, Glaucoma could develop in any person although the following individuals are at maximum risk.

• Those above sixty years of age, especially from Mexican-American ethnicity.
• Afro-American people above forty years of age.
• Afro-American people having elevated eye pressure, thickening in cornea or optic nerve issues.
• Any person who has suffered an acute injury to the eye.
• Individuals having some medical problems like those who are diabetics.
• Any person having a family case history of glaucoma.
• An individual having elevated eye pressure yet absence of optic nerve harm.

Glaucoma Symptoms:

With glaucoma advancing, those affected by it would observe advancing eyesight failure inclusive of:

• Fuzzy eyesight.
• Narrowing in peripheral vision.
• Difficulties faced when one tries to focus.
• Corona effect around light.

Glaucoma Treatment:

Since glaucoma is not curable and vision failure is not restorable, yet early identification and treating it could shield from acute eyesight failure.

Glaucoma treatment could comprise of:

• Eye drop medicines or tablets to assist in reducing eye pressure.
• Laser therapy for draining eye fluid.
• Surgical intervention for creating a new-fangled aperture for fluid drainage from the eye.

Those people who have been advised to take glaucoma-treating medicine should follow the doctor’s instructions as per directed.

Glaucoma Prevention:

The best policy for glaucoma prevention is normal eye pressure maintenance. A trained eye specialist would be able to ascertain what level of eye pressure is deemed normal for a particular individual.

It is advisable to undergo a complete eye examination in every 1-2 yearly time intervals. The ophthalmologist would be able to spot elevated eye pressure or could ascertain whether the person is at elevated risk of glaucoma. In such scenarios, the person would be advised to employ eye drops or seek medical advice more frequently. Several individuals who have a risk of developing glaucoma could be benefited by the use of eye drops which could lower risk by nearly fifty percent.

In case there has been some extent of vision loss because of glaucoma then the ophthalmologist could give referral to low vision services which could assist the person is making the most of whatever remnant vision he/she has.

Read more at : 4 Common Eye Diseases – Part III

Glaucoma is the second prevalent reason for eyesight failure and sightlessness affecting seventy million individuals globally inclusive of two million in the U.S. It is a collection of eye disorders which could harm the optic nerve that conveys optical information to the brain from the eyes. It generally is the result of fluid pressure building up over spans of time that exerts pressure on the optic nerve leading to its damage. Vision damage occurs with no apparent caveat signs that could caution the person into visiting a physician. It is not curable and leads to irretrievable vision loss.

Physicians presently employ duo key methods for detecting symptoms of glaucoma, namely tonometry involving measurement of eye pressure through gentle contact with the eye’s exterior surface employing a specialized device. The other method is ophthalmoscopy conducted by an ophthalmologist using a device known as ophthalmoscope to have a direct glance via the pupil at the optic nerve. Colour of the nerve and its appearance could suggest glaucoma caused harm.

Frequently such tests diagnose signs of glaucoma in a stage wherein the disease has covertly caused considerable harm to the optic nerve. The foremost biological alterations linked to glaucoma could surface subsequent to passage of several years.

Researchers in this study are keen on detecting glaucoma sooner, prior to lasting harm having developed so that drug intake could commence quicker for controlling it.

Yu and associated reported that Raman spectroscopy which is a method employed for chemistry and several labs comprises of directing a shaft of infra-red laser light (non-noticeable to the human eye) on to a test sample for obtaining data regarding the sample constitution.

Yu’s technique employs Raman spectroscopy wherein laser light is shone via pupil of the eye. Retinal ganglion or optic nerve cells within the eyes disperse the light creating a rainbow-similar band or pattern which reveals chemical constitution of the cells. Researchers could then employ that snap for identifying bio-chemical variations in retinal cells which make glaucoma existence known.

The investigators proclaimed that they were satisfied with the outcomes of animal retinal tissue analysis from dog species with glaucoma in which the method identified signs of glaucoma with ninety percent correctness.

The researchers are looking ahead to likely clinical studies on humans. In case outcomes of animal-based trials go as intended and reveal good efficiency and safety, then this test could be expected to be obtainable in the subsequent 5 years. The test probably lasting thirty minutes which is lengthier as compared to existent glaucoma tests however could be beneficial for patients due to its greater accuracy of disease detection.