A series of eye conditions known as glaucoma, blue water, or glaucoma impair the optic nerve, which is in charge of sending information from the eye to the brain. Loss of vision may result from damage to this nerve, which is situated in the rear of the eye.
A person with glaucoma first has a reduced field of vision in the periphery of the eye. If the condition is left untreated, vision loss may progressively worsen and eventually result in total blindness.
Risk factors:
According to #Dr._Mohsen_Semaan, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Medical Director of Barraquer Hospital Dubai, this disease has a number of risk factors, the most well-known of which is high eye pressure, the only risk factor that can be treated. Other risk factors include low blood pressure and sleep apnea. Because the blood supply to the optic nerve is altered in both disorders, the repercussions of elevated intraocular pressure affect the eye more severely.
Semaan added that we can divide glaucoma into two categories: the first is open-angle glaucoma, which is the largest and most prevalent (80%), and narrow or closed-angle glaucoma (20%). He claimed that one of the most significant risk factors is the genetic factor, as the descendants of patients with glaucoma have a higher probability of developing the disease.
According to Dr. Mohsen Samaan, glaucoma is a condition that may also develop at birth and is known as congenital glaucoma. It can also strike young individuals between the ages of 14 and 30 as well as adults over the age of 40.
Semaan described the illness’s symptoms while pointing out that it is a quiet disease with no noticeable symptoms, which makes it more deadly if a diagnosis is delayed. from examining the fibers, layers, and crevices of the optic nerve.
Treatment:
Regarding the methods of treatment, Dr. Mohsen Semaan stated that the goal is to preserve vision and thus a normal life for the patient, and this goal is achieved by preserving the optic nerve in the best conditions to obtain a good visual field, and once the diagnosis is made, treatment must begin immediately and consist of treatments Different to reduce damage to the optic nerve, which is the only risk factor that we can act on and succeed in most cases.
The patient must be made aware of the importance of adhering to treatment, he continued, adding that we begin treatment with medications that lower eye pressure. These medications typically come in the form of eye drops, drops that must be applied to the eye continuously. He also noted that we have several different types of drops that can lower pressure in addition to pills. Additionally, we have the option to treat eye pressure with various types of lasers that are more successful at closed angles where we cut a little hole in the iris, known as an iridotomy, which allows us to cure the issue. However, we save these tablets for the period before a surgical choice.
Semaan made the point that in the event of open angles, many laser kinds are available to let the fluid inside the eye leave into the circulatory system, lowering pressure. The most common surgical procedure for glaucoma is filtration surgery, which aims to remove the fluid to an area under the conjunctiva so that it can be absorbed by the blood vessels. There is also another type of The surgery called the implantation of the tube, which serves the same purpose as the former but the surgery is a little more difficult. Finally, there are small detachable tubes that are used for other purposes.
