Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises. This alone is not what glaucoma is; Glaucoma is a combination of 3 risk factors:
Elevated Pressure
Optic Nerve Injury
Visual Loss
Glaucoma has also been called the "sneak thief of sight", because is usually strikes without warning, therefore a victim of the disease is unaware of it until serious damage is already done. There are no symptoms and there is no pain, and vision stays relatively normal. As the disease progresses, a person with the disease MAY notice his or her vision getting slightly worse…the field of vision decreases, and things to the side may be missed. Soon after this is when blindness occurs. There is one situation in which the on set of glaucoma is noticeable, when the intraocular pressure increases suddenly…causing an angle-closure (acute glaucoma) attack. This is very painful and can happen in only a matter of hours. Following this attack, blindness or severe damage to sight may occur. Here are some of the indications:
- Intense pain, that may cause nausea and vomiting
- Red eye(s)
- Swollen or cloudy cornea
- Halos around lights (rainbow colored rings)
- Recurrent blurry vision
- Morning headaches
- Pain around eyes after watching TV
If a combination of these things occurs, see a doctor immediately to prevent severe damage to sight.
Now that we know WHAT glaucoma is and what causes it, we need to know who is at risk for getting this life altering disease and how to prevent it. People at the highest risk for this disease are people that:
The widespread involvement of Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE), flat (placoid) nature of the lesions and absence of overlying serous retinal detachment and minimal choroidal involvement lead Gass to conclude RPE was primary focus of inflammation.(1) ...
Loss of vision in one or both eyes
Saxena, Rohit, Diguijay Singh, and Praveen Vashist. “Glaucoma: An Emerging Peril.” Indian Journal of Community Medicine 38.3 (2013): 135-7: Proquest. Web. 7 Jan 2014.
Glaucoma is a disease of the eye and it is fluid pressure within the eye rises and if the eye is left untreated the patient might lose vision or maybe even blind. But this disease is generally affects both eyes but although one of their eyes may have more severe signs or symptoms then the other eye. When you have glaucoma there are small spaces in the front of the eye and they are called anterior chamber. There is clear liquid that flows in and out of the anterior chamber and the fluid nourishes and bathes nearby the tissues. And if the patient has glaucoma the fluid dose not drain like it should drain but the fluid drains out of the eye. And this may lead to fluid build up and pressure inside the rises of the eye. Unless the pressure is brought down and controlled and the optic nerves and some of the other parts of the eye might become damaged leading to ...
Vision loss from glaucoma is permanent but can be prevented with early detection and treatment. Since the symptoms of the disease are usually unnoticeable, regular eye examination are important especially for persons over the age of 35 and those in high risk group.
Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 50. Every ten years after the age of 50 the prevalence of this disease increases exponentially. Many different factors contribute to the development of AMD including genetic, environment, and metabolic functions. Aside from smoking, abnormal blood pressure, and an unhealthy diet low in fruits and vegetables, many more studies are concluding that similar inflammatory and oxidative processes seen in other age related diseases are also playing a key role in the development of AMD. This disease affects the central areas of the retina and choroid. In return central vision is impaired while peripheral vision is usually not lost. AMD is seen in two different forms, the earlier nonneovascular (dry) type and the more advanced neovascular (wet) type. Each form has its own specific pathology and unique characteristics that set them apart. Fatty, protein deposits called drusens may be the key risk factor in understanding dry AMD pathology, progression, and treatment. Once the more advanced wet AMD is diagnosed, pathology and treatment are targeted around the formation and destruction of abnormal blood vessels, characteristic of the wet AMD eye. The increasing prevalence of AMD has influenced more investigation into what factors can be modulated to prevent the onset or to stop the progression of AMD. Early diagnosis is very important because this is when an eye doctor can spot the early signs of the disease through ultrasound or angiography. This text will discuss the pathology of drusens and the role of inflammation and oxidation in the aged eye. By better understanding these processes more effective treatment approaches and preventive...
eyes of a child who has absolutely no idea why everything around him has suddenly
Ruckmann, Adrea von, Fitzke, Fredrick W., & Bird, Alan C., (1997). Fundus autofluorescence in age related macular disease imaged with a laser scanning opthalmoscope. Investigative Opthamology and Visual Science, 38 (2), 478-485.
Life revolves around being able to see things. Although individuals who are blind can lead a full and happy life, someone with excellent vision who suddenly loses theirs or notices a decrease in their visual acuity over time may find it difficult to adapt. Thankfully, with the help of an optometrist, individuals can actively work to preserve their vision for as long as possible. Phoenix Eye Care must be a priority for all, as advanced technology allows threats to the eyes to be detected as the earliest stage. The right treatment can help to slow or stop the progression before major issues develop. For this reason, every individual needs to undergo routine eye exams.
Imagine a researcher requesting you to copy a picture. It's a simple task. You move your instrument of illustration across a sheet of blank paper with ease, glancing from the given picture to your own sketch in progress. When you are finished you observe a satisfactory replica and feel a sense of accomplishment and proficiency with the similarity you have achieved between picture and sketch. Then the researcher queries whether you can tell him what you have drawn. You search the interconnected lines, the edges, and the shapes of your sketch but cannot answer what the picture represents. Finally, an explanation is given. You have just drawn a house- a simple triangle resting on top of a square. Your sense of accomplishment is quickly replaced with a feeling of despair.
Many signs include a "white pupil," also known as leukocoria. Retinoblastoma can occur in either one or two eyes (Paul T. Finger, Pg. 1). This abnormal white pupillary reflex is sometimes referred to as a cat's eye reflex. Another sign of retinoblastoma is a crossed eye (Ambramson, Ch3). Leukocoria doesn't always end up as being retinoblastoma, it can even result in: congenital cataract, Toxocara canis, Coat's disease, and persistent hypertrophic primary vitreous (PHPV) (Finger, Pg.2). Retinoblastoma occurs when there's a mutation or deletion of the q14 band of chromosome 13 (Finger, Pg. 1). Symptoms can be painful if not treated quickly. Some include a red, painful eye, swelling of the surrounding eye, poor vision, dilated pupil, even extra fingers or toes, and retardation (Ambramson, Ch3).
Glaucoma is a group of eye disorders that cause blindness by hurting the optic nerve, which is the large nerve that is responsible for vision. In glaucoma, the optic nerve damage is related to a change in the fluid pressure that circulates around the eyeball. In many cases, Glaucoma occurs when the eye's fluid pressure is high, but it can also occur when the pressure is measured as normal.
Robert, a 65 year-old male, has trouble reading fine detail, especially out of his central vision. He complains that his vision is blurred and that it is harder to see while operating a motor vehicle. In addition, sometimes objects appear wavy or crooked, which impairs his vision. His worst symptoms were that he occasionally lost the ability to distinguish between the features of familiar faces and he had a localized blind spot. Robert is not alone; many people suffer from symptoms related to loss and distortion of the visual field. He suffers from macular degeneration, the leading cause of decreased vision loss in the United States, especially for people over the age of 50 (Philippi, 2000).
...he cornea is deformed so that its surface is oval instead of spherical. Light rays are distorted at the entrance of the eye. This produces a blurred image and is known as astigmatism. To correct it, glasses are given a nonspherical or cylindrical curvature. Cross-eyes and walleyes are produced when both eyes do not work together because of weakness of the eye muscles.