Glaucoma

Glaucoma takes sight slowly and painlessly. Regular checks are the only reliable defence.

Glaucoma is a condition in which increased intraocular pressure damages the optic nerve, and with it your vision. It takes sight away slowly and painlessly, which is why it is called the silent thief of sight.

There is no proven way to cure glaucoma or reverse vision that has already been lost. Regular eye examination is the key to detecting the disease early and preserving healthy vision. With our team and current equipment we are set up not only to detect glaucoma early, but to treat and surgically manage it.

Why it matters

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. In India alone it affects around 12 million people. The sight loss it causes is progressive and, unlike cataract, irreversible. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent blindness.

Because most people with glaucoma have no early symptoms and no pain, it matters that you see an eye doctor regularly. If you are over 40 and have a family history of glaucoma, have a complete eye exam every one to two years.

What happens in the eye

A fluid called aqueous nourishes the front of the eye. In a normal eye the rate of production matches the rate of drainage, which keeps the pressure inside the eye at an optimal level. With age, disease, trauma or other factors, the channels carrying this fluid can become blocked, raising the pressure. That pressure damages the optic nerve, which carries visual messages to the brain.

Working silently, glaucoma damages peripheral vision first while central vision stays intact. If it is not treated in time it can go on to take central vision too.

By the time people notice something is wrong and consult a doctor, many have already lost a substantial part of their visual field. It comes on so slowly that it goes unnoticed.

Treatment

Early detection is the key to preserving vision. Once detected, glaucoma can be controlled with medicines (eye drops) or surgery to prevent further vision loss. This only works with disciplined, regular treatment from an eye specialist. Treatment of glaucoma is lifelong, and may involve medical management, surgical management, or management by laser.

Recent advances

There have been a number of advances in glaucoma management. On the investigational side, more sophisticated machines can detect glaucoma at a very early stage, before damage to the fibres of the eye has occurred, which lets treatment start in time to prevent damage. Better anti-glaucoma eye drops have helped a great deal, and newer formulations have widened the range of treatment options.

Laser management has also moved on, and acute angle closure can now be dealt with promptly even when the conventional technique of making a hole by YAG laser does not give the desired result. Alongside this we use newer techniques in glaucoma surgery, such as glaucoma filtration devices for controlled filtration, new kinds of valve, and vitreoretinal techniques for complicated glaucoma procedures.

The goal of any glaucoma treatment is to lower the pressure in the eye and so reduce damage to the optic nerve. To do that, a doctor may lower the pressure with medicated eye drops, improve drainage of fluid from the eye, or reduce the amount of fluid the eye produces.