Glaucoma is a serious condition that can affect the optic nerve. Your optic nerve is responsible for transmitting images to your brain. Optic nerve damage can lead to vision loss, and optic nerve destruction can cause permanent blindness, so it is important to see an ophthalmologist regularly to screen for this condition.
Causes
Aqueous fluid in the eye is meant to flow through a mesh-like channel to drain. If the fluid does not circulate in a usual manner, pressure can build up. This is called intraocular pressure, and it puts a major strain on the optic nerve. The reasons for these blockages are not yet known. However, there are certain risks factors that can lead to glaucoma.
Treatments
There are three main treatments for glaucoma – eye drops, laser surgery, and microsurgery.
Eye drops can increase the outflow of fluid or simply reduce it from forming. Taken several times daily, sometimes in conjunction with pills, eye drops can produce results by stymieing early-onset glaucoma.
More advanced glaucoma may require laser surgery from an ophthalmologist, such as a trabeculoplasty which eliminates the actual fluid blockages in the eye, or an iridotomy which consists of a hole made in the iris that allows fluid to flow more freely.
Microsurgeries, such as a trabeculectomy, create new channels for fluid drainage, which, in turn, releases glaucoma-related pressure.
With early intervention and proper treatment, most patients maintain their vision and lead normal lives.
