The doctor said, that you have glaucoma. What's next?
What is glaucoma? Glaucoma – it is a chronic progressive eye disease. Glaucoma is manifested by an increase in intraocular pressure and, in the absence of treatment, can cause irreversible vision loss. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness worldwide.
Why does glaucoma occur and what contributes to its appearance? It is still not known for sure, why does a person develop glaucoma. Meanwhile, a number of factors have been established, which increase the probability of disease development. They are called risk factors. One of the main factors is age. Glaucoma develops more often in older people 40 years, and the older the person, the higher the risk of disease.
Another risk factor is the presence of glaucoma in close relatives. in addition, is considered, that diseases of the vascular system contribute to the development of the disease: arterial hyper- or hypotension, vegetative dystonia, migraine etc. If you have several risk factors, we strongly recommend that you consult an ophthalmologist.
How glaucoma manifests itself? In most cases, glaucoma begins and progresses without symptoms. The patient does not feel any unpleasant sensations. At this stage, only an ophthalmologist can detect the initial signs of the disease by measuring the intraocular pressure and examining some eye structures. Symptoms appear over time, which bother the patient. The most important of them is the appearance of defects in the field of vision. At the same time, the violation appears, that some objects seem to disappear from the general field of vision.
Why should glaucoma be treated??
As already mentioned, Glaucoma is a chronic progressive disease. This means, that without treatment, the symptoms of this disease will continue to increase, and this process can end in complete loss of vision. in return, early appointment of the correct treatment can slow down the progression of glaucoma in the long term and preserve the patient's ability to work and quality of life. This is possible only if the doctor's recommendations are followed and there are no interruptions in treatment.
Fortunately, glaucoma almost does not limit the usual way of life. However, excessive physical exertion should be avoided, prolonged work in a head down position, and also avoid alcohol and nicotine abuse.
How glaucoma is treated?
Glaucoma treatment usually involves three main methods: drug treatment, laser treatment and surgery. Only a doctor can choose the optimal method and drugs in each specific case based on many factors. To achieve the best results, it is important to follow all the doctor's recommendations. When defects appear in the field of vision, some fragments may seem lost.
Self-medication is not allowed. It is important to note, that no non-pharmacological methods, diets, nutritional supplements or exercise cannot replace medical or surgical treatment, which was prescribed by an ophthalmologist. The main method of treatment is the appointment of eye drops.
If your doctor has prescribed eye drops for you, they should be used regularly, without treatment interruptions. It is necessary to strictly follow the doctor's prescriptions, do not stop treatment on your own, because each interruption in treatment can lead to irreversible deterioration of vision.
In some cases, laser treatment is indicated. This is a procedure, which is performed almost painlessly and takes only a few minutes. In more complex cases or when the effect of eye drops or laser treatment is not sufficient, doctors may prescribe surgery.
What is the criterion of successful treatment?
Glaucoma is a chronic progressive disease and at the moment, at the stage of development of modern medicine, its complete cure is impossible. Stopping the progression of the disease can be considered a successful result. This can be determined by, that the level of intraocular pressure remains within normal values, and visual field defects do not increase.