Glaucoma (also know as Kala Motia or Kala paani) is a serious eye condition that can lead to vision loss and blindness if left untreated. It is caused by increased pressure within the eye, which damages the optic nerve. While it is often asymptomatic in its early stages, glaucoma can progress quickly and silently, making early detection and treatment crucial. Here’s what you need to know about glaucoma, how to prevent it, and how dangerous it is.
Symptoms: Glaucoma is often asymptomatic in its early stages, but if you experience symptoms such as blurry vision, halos around lights, eye pain, and headache, you should seek immediate medical attention. It’s noteworthy that vision loss is not felt by patients till advanced stage is reached. Glaucoma typically cause painless and gradual loss of peripheral vision which is never realized by majority of patients. Patients get visual symptoms only when central vision is affected, and by this time more than 50% vision could have been lost!
Risk Factors: Some people are at higher risk for developing glaucoma, including those over 40yrs age, people with a family history of glaucoma, and those with high eye pressure, diabetes, Thyroid disease, hypertension or a history of eye injury. Some medicines like steroids , antidepressants etc can also cause glaucoma.
Investigations:
It is to be noted that simple vision testing or eye checkup can never detect glaucoma.
Special tests or investigation are required to diagnose glaucoma:
- Eye pressure or tension
- Optic nerve examination
- Visual field analysis
- OCT
- Corneal thickness (Pachymetery)
- Gonioscopy
Most patients can be managed with medical treatment alone as good medicines are now available. Newer treatment options are now available to reduce inconvenience of daily use of multiple eye drops like laser therapy, stents, minimally invasive glaucoma surgery etc. Early detection and treatment are crucial to prevent vision loss and preserving sight.
Danger: Glaucoma is a dangerous condition because it can progress quickly and silently, often leading to vision loss and blindness, if left untreated. It is estimated that half of those with glaucoma are not aware they have the condition, so regular eye exams are crucial for early detection and treatment.
At Shreya Eye Centre, we are dedicated to providing the highest quality eye care to our patients. Our experienced doctors use the latest technology and treatments to diagnose and treat glaucoma, helping our patients preserve their sight and maintain good eye health. If you have any questions about glaucoma or would like to schedule an eye exam, please contact us today.