Loss of vision changes every single aspect of life. In past centuries, people who lost their eyesight and had no safety net often ended up begging in order to survive. While that rarely happens today, eye diseases like glaucoma still exact a harsh personal penalty, and can result in blindness if not found and treated in time. Glaucoma San Antonio sufferers combat this optic nerve issue using education and advances in technology.
It commonly affects both eyes, and is characterized by an increase in fluid pressure within the eye. Under normal conditions, the fluids drain away, allowing pressure to equalize. When that process is interrupted, internal forces slowly build, and can cause long-term damage to the optic nerve and adjacent eye structures. There are two main types of this ailment, designated open or closed angle.
Victims may not be aware of a developing problem because the symptoms of open angle glaucoma have a gradual onset. Over time, nerve damage results in a loss of peripheral vision that may go unnoticed for years. In the later stages, all vision is affected, and restricted to a narrow, tunnel-like space directly in front. The closed-angle variety causes more immediate problems, and has more noticeable symptoms.
Those signs include eye pain accompanied by blurred images, sometimes causing nausea and vomiting. Lights seem surrounded by halos, and adjusting to different illumination levels becomes difficult. Advancing age increases the probability of developing this disease, which can also affect people with specific genetic backgrounds, those who have had recent eye surgery, and people already dealing with other illnesses.
Early diagnosis is the key to successful long-term treatment. Standard eye exams for glasses include simple, painless pressure testing, and can quickly detect unnaturally high readings. Gonioscopy is another diagnostic tool that helps determine the extend of blockage in the angle between cornea and iris. Lateral vision deterioration is tested using perimetry equipment, and there are measurements to determine optic nerve damage.
When an exam reveals existing issues, treatment often begins immediately. Although there are currently no complete cures for this combination of eye conditions, progression can now be dramatically slowed, and often halted. Existing destruction is not reversible, but the most effective medications include eye drops containing beta blockers, fluid inhibitors, prostaglandin analogues, or liquid flow stimulants.
In cases that do no respond to eye drops, surgery may be the best option. Drainage passages can be effectively unblocked using lasers, while other patients show progress when treated with filters that help relieve internal eye pressure. In some cases aqueous shunt implants are installed. A victim of acute-angle glaucoma is treated as an emergency requiring immediate drug therapy and surgery.
San Antonio TX victims of this condition realize how important regular eye exams and early detection really are. Because many patients experience the disease for years without overt symptoms, only a physician can determine the extent and severity of the problem. Current technological advances have made early diagnosis simple, easy, and painless, and help preserve visual acuity as long as possible.
It commonly affects both eyes, and is characterized by an increase in fluid pressure within the eye. Under normal conditions, the fluids drain away, allowing pressure to equalize. When that process is interrupted, internal forces slowly build, and can cause long-term damage to the optic nerve and adjacent eye structures. There are two main types of this ailment, designated open or closed angle.
Victims may not be aware of a developing problem because the symptoms of open angle glaucoma have a gradual onset. Over time, nerve damage results in a loss of peripheral vision that may go unnoticed for years. In the later stages, all vision is affected, and restricted to a narrow, tunnel-like space directly in front. The closed-angle variety causes more immediate problems, and has more noticeable symptoms.
Those signs include eye pain accompanied by blurred images, sometimes causing nausea and vomiting. Lights seem surrounded by halos, and adjusting to different illumination levels becomes difficult. Advancing age increases the probability of developing this disease, which can also affect people with specific genetic backgrounds, those who have had recent eye surgery, and people already dealing with other illnesses.
Early diagnosis is the key to successful long-term treatment. Standard eye exams for glasses include simple, painless pressure testing, and can quickly detect unnaturally high readings. Gonioscopy is another diagnostic tool that helps determine the extend of blockage in the angle between cornea and iris. Lateral vision deterioration is tested using perimetry equipment, and there are measurements to determine optic nerve damage.
When an exam reveals existing issues, treatment often begins immediately. Although there are currently no complete cures for this combination of eye conditions, progression can now be dramatically slowed, and often halted. Existing destruction is not reversible, but the most effective medications include eye drops containing beta blockers, fluid inhibitors, prostaglandin analogues, or liquid flow stimulants.
In cases that do no respond to eye drops, surgery may be the best option. Drainage passages can be effectively unblocked using lasers, while other patients show progress when treated with filters that help relieve internal eye pressure. In some cases aqueous shunt implants are installed. A victim of acute-angle glaucoma is treated as an emergency requiring immediate drug therapy and surgery.
San Antonio TX victims of this condition realize how important regular eye exams and early detection really are. Because many patients experience the disease for years without overt symptoms, only a physician can determine the extent and severity of the problem. Current technological advances have made early diagnosis simple, easy, and painless, and help preserve visual acuity as long as possible.
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