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The crisis hidden deep in the eyes: Do you know the early signs of glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can cause damage to the optic nerve, which carries visual information from the eye to the brain. If left untreated, glaucoma can lead to vision loss, so it is often called the “silent thief of sight.” The main risk factor for glaucoma is increased intraocular pressure (IOP), which is often related to age, family history of glaucoma, and certain medical conditions or medication use. This term comes from the ancient Greek γλαυκός (glaukós), which means "bright, blue-green, gray". There are many different types of glaucoma, the most common of which are open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma.
Once potential signs of glaucoma are ignored, they can lead to irreversible vision loss, making early detection an important task for everyone.
Inside the eye, there is a fluid called aqueous humor that helps maintain the shape of the eye and provides nutrients. Aqueous humor usually drains through the trabecular meshwork. In open-angle glaucoma, the outflow of aqueous humor is blocked, causing intraocular pressure to rise and possibly damaging the optic nerve. In angle-closure glaucoma, the drainage of aqueous humor in the eye is suddenly blocked, resulting in a sharp increase in intraocular pressure, accompanied by severe eye pain, blurred vision and nausea. This is an emergency situation that requires immediate medical attention.
If treated early, the progression of glaucoma can be slowed or stopped. Especially for people over the age of 40 or those with a family history of glaucoma, regular eye exams are crucial for early detection. Treatment usually involves the use of medicated eye drops, medications, laser therapy, or surgery, with the goal of lowering intraocular pressure.
Epidemiology
According to 2013 data, the global prevalence of glaucoma among people aged 40 to 80 years is estimated at 3.54%, affecting approximately 64.3 million people. By 2040, glaucoma of all types is expected to increase to 111.82 million people, with the number of patients in North America reaching 4.72 million. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, while cataracts are even more common. In the United States, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African Americans, Latino Americans, and Asian Americans.
Signs and symptoms
Open-angle glaucoma usually has no obvious symptoms in the early stages. As the disease progresses, vision difficulties may occur, often involving loss of peripheral vision and ultimately may lead to loss of central vision. Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a medical emergency that presents with sudden eye pain, halos around light sources, red eyes, high intraocular pressure, nausea, and rapid vision loss.
Visual defects in glaucoma patients usually originate from damage to the optic nerve fiber layer, which is also an important basis for diagnosis.
Risk factors
Glaucoma can affect anyone, but certain risk factors make an individual more likely to develop the disease. Major risk factors include increasing age, high intraocular pressure, family history of glaucoma, and use of steroid medications.
Diagnosis
Screening for glaucoma is part of a standard eye exam and includes a careful history and risk factor assessment. Baseline examination includes measurement of intraocular pressure, assessment of anterior chamber angle, optic nerve fiber layer examination and visual field test.
How will your vision be?
Ophthalmologists remind that even if there are no obvious signs, the importance of regular eye examinations cannot be underestimated, because early identification of glaucoma can greatly increase the possibility of successful treatment. Faced with a disease that may be lurking deep in the eyes, have you ever thought about how you can detect the signs early?
