What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness

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What is glaucoma? Glaucoma is a disease that involves abnormalities in the optic nerve, causing the optic nerve to be damaged and form a “cupping” or deepening of the optic nerve head. Normally, the optic nerve head in healthy individuals has a cupping size of less than 50% of the total size of the optic nerve head. However, in individuals with glaucoma, the optic nerve head is significantly cupped.

Causes of glaucoma: There are several factors that contribute to the optic nerve damage in glaucoma, but the most important factor is elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), which is higher than the normal range. In general, the average IOP in normal individuals is less than or equal to 21 mmHg.

Why do patients with glaucoma have higher intraocular pressure than the general population? Normally, there is a balanced circulation of fluid inside the eye through the drainage system called the trabecular meshwork. However, in glaucoma patients, there are abnormalities in this drainage system, which can be classified into two types: open-angle glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma, each with different characteristics.

Who is at risk of glaucoma?

• Individuals over the age of 40
• Individuals with a family history of glaucoma
• Individuals with diabetes
• Those with very short or long-sightedness
• Individuals with a history of eye trauma or eye surgery
• Those with certain chronic eye conditions such as uveitis
• Those who regularly use eye drop medications such as steroids

Treatment of glaucoma

The treatment of glaucoma aims to reduce intraocular pressure, which is the main cause of the disease. The reduction of intraocular pressure can be achieved through:

• The use of eye drops or oral medications
• Laser trabeculoplasty
• Surgical procedures to lower intraocular pressure

However, the response to treatment may vary depending on the type of glaucoma and the individual. Therefore, specialized ophthalmologists experienced in treating glaucoma will assess and tailor the treatment plan to suit each patient’s specific needs.

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