This article will discuss the common eye condition, Glaucoma. In this country, Glaucoma affects 2% of the population aged over 40 and 5% of the population over 70. It is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide.
The test most people will associate with Glaucoma during an eye test is the puffer test. This test is measuring the intraocular pressure (IOP). Contrary to popular belief, having high pressure does not necessarily mean you have Glaucoma, and having low pressure does not mean you do not have Glaucoma. However, the higher the IOP, the higher are your chances of developing Glaucoma. Also, reducing IOP is the only known method of treating Glaucoma.
Glaucoma is a disease that I personally find fascinating. Largely this is because we are looking for the disease at its very early stage. Any damage to your eyesight caused by Glaucoma is irreversible, however, reducing the IOP and therefore preventing damage, is usually achievable. Thus, catching it early, before damage has occurred is vital. This is one of the reasons regular eye tests are very important, especially as Glaucoma produces no symptoms until the disease is reasonably advanced.
Glaucoma affects your peripheral vision first, and slowly, over a number of years, gradually moves inwards, leaving you with pinhole central vision. Even changing the prescription in your eyeglasses would not help improve your vision. If the vision becomes so bad, even your normal spectacles may not work.
The other things we look for when checking for Glaucoma are:
Field of vision. This looks for little blind spots in your vision that you may not have noticed. We do this by flashing lights in the corner of your eye and asking if you have seen them. You may have done the clicker test where you hold a clicker in your hand and press it every time you see a light. This can be done with or without your glasses.
Ophthalmoscopy: Glaucomatous damage will show as changes to the appearance of your Optic Nerve Head. You are born with approximately 1.2 million nerve fibres in your eyes. These all form a bundle called the optic nerve, and it is this bundle that transmits the signals caused by light falling on your retina, from your eye to your brain. The area where the bundle leaves the eye ball is called the optic nerve head. Glaucoma damages the nerve fibres and it is specific changes to the optic nerve head that we look for.
So, next time you visit your optician, remember that it's about much more than just buying a new pair of designer specs.
Craig Leaver - Optician and owner of http://www.myeyeglasses.co.uk/ an online shop selling only the best designer glasses.
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