World Glaucoma week is a week that marks the major collaboration between the World Glaucoma Association and the World Glaucoma Patient Association, with series of activities globally that alerts people to have regular eye (and optic nerve) checks to detect glaucoma earlier, thus contributing to sight preservation.
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A wide range of publicity-attracting activities characterise this week. These activities around the world involve ophthalmologists, optometrists and other eye care workers in hospitals, universities, clinics, private practices include many private individuals, especially those with glaucoma or with family members with glaucoma. Glaucoma societies and glaucoma patient associations all participate.
The 2018 World Glaucoma Week which has been scheduled for March 11 to March 17 has the theme “Go get your eyes tested for glaucoma: Save your sight ’’.
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WHAT IS GLAUCOMA
Glaucoma is a disease that damages the optic nerve which connects the eye to the brain.
It usually happens when fluid builds up in the front part of your eye. That extra fluid increases the pressure in your eye, damaging the optic nerve.
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PREVERLENCE
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause progressive damage of the optic nerve at the point where it leaves the eye to carry visual information to the brain.
If left untreated, most types of glaucoma progress (without warning nor obvious symptoms to the patient) towards gradually worsening visual damage and may lead to blindness. Once incurred, visual damage is mostly irreversible, and this has led to glaucoma being described as the “silent blinding disease” or the “sneak thief of sight”.
Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide. It is estimated that 4.5 million persons globally are blind due to glaucoma1 and that this number will rise to 11.2 million by 20202. It is noteworthy that due to the silent progression of the disease – at least in its early stages – up to 50% of affected persons in the developed countries are not even aware of having glaucoma3. This number may rise to 90% in underdeveloped parts of the world. Source
TYPES
It could be
a. primary or
b. open angle glaucoma
While some authorities classify then as
a. open angle an and
b. angle closure.
GLaucoma could also be classified as being
-acute or chronic.
CAUSES
Glaucoma is mainly caused by
1.severe untreated intra ocular pressure
2.atherosclerosis of the eye vessles
3.poor nutrient supply to the eye
4.complications from retinopathy which could be from hypertention or diabetic retinopathy
5.complications associated with hormonal imbalance like high insulin and elevated cortisol or any thing that could trigger hypertension.
Glaucoma can occur even in people with normal eye presure known as normal tension glaucoma.Here the the glaucoma could be due to 2,3,4and 5 written above but 1 is the main cause of Glaucoma.
DIAGNOSIS
Definitive diagnosis is very important. This can be done by first
1.measuring the intraocular pressure of the eye. A Tonometer is used and the measurement is known as Tonometry. An ocular pressure exceeding 20mmhg and above is diagnostic of Glaucoma. Then
2.Field and contrast test is done to check for ability to see well.
Other test is also done to rule out the cause of the Problem.
3.Urinalysis, Fasting Blood sugar , Random Blood Sugar. Insulin measurement because high insulin is implicated in glaucoma and hypertention.
4.Lipid Panel can also be done.
5.Electrolite Urea Creatinine could be done to rule out hypertension from renal origin affecting the eyes.
PREVENTION
1.First you must manage and reduce oxidative stress.
2.You must form a habit of moping up your body free radicals in circulation
3.Reduce and avoid any thing that can trigger high insulin which will invariable increase hypertension.
4.You must avoid atherosclerosis
5.You must form a habit of eating food that help maintain a strong and healthy eyes; food rich in beta carotenoid, flovonoids,omega 3 and omega 6,food rich in vitmine A,B ,C etc. are all very essential. VitaminC is noted to reduce hypertention in the body
7.If you are prone to generalised hypertension you must avoid food with high glycemic index that trigger high insulin which in turn trigger both ocular tension.
MANAGEMENT
Allopathic Medicine Medication and surgery is used and the philosophy of treatment is to reduce the intra ocular pressure.In Allopathic Medicine, anti hypertensive drugs are used to reduce ocular tension . Note that Glaucoma can also be called Hypertention of The Eye that affects the optic nerves leading to blindness.
Many have postulated that phytomedicine does not have much to offer but current evidence based Ethnomedical Science are being validated that Glaucoma can be effeciive treated using phytomedicine.