Are you suffering from Glaucoma?
1 in 10 Australians over 80 will develop glaucoma. At present, 50 percent of people with glaucoma in Australia are undiagnosed.
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is optic nerve damage which causes irreversible vision loss. The loss of sight is usually gradual and often begins peripherally. A considerable amount of peripheral vision is typically lost before patients report symptoms due to the gradual nature and location of vision loss. As glaucoma progresses, central vision may be affected. When left untreated, glaucoma can cause blindness. Regular eye testing with our optometrists can help in early detection of glaucoma. Early detection and appropriate treatment can save sight.
What causes Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is usually caused by an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) which can damage the optic nerve. The level of elevated eye pressure which causes progressive damage to the optic nerve varies between people. Some people can have high eye pressure without glaucoma (known as ocular hypertension) while other people can have normal eye pressure with glaucoma (known as normal tension glaucoma).
The human eye produces a clear liquid called the aqueous humor which it continually produces and secretes. This fluid helps to transport nutrients in the eye and maintain the eye shape. The fluid is drained via the anterior chamber also known as the drainage angle. If there is damage to this drainage system the rate at which the aqueous humor is produced becomes greater than the drainage rate and therefore pressure builds up in the eye. This increased pressure can damage the optic nerve that connects the eye to the brain. This optic nerve is a bundle of more than one million nerve fibers and as these fibers become damaged by higher eye pressure we get corresponding loss of vision. This vision loss is irreversible.
How do we test for Glaucoma?
As part of our comprehensive eye examination, we will carefully evaluate your glaucoma risk profile and use our state-of-the-art equipment to assess the optic nerve for structural changes, measure your intraocular pressure and if required test for visual field loss.
Our practice is also equipped with Optical Coherence Tomography otherwise known as the OCT 3D eye scans. This scan takes 50,000 laser ultrasound images through the layers of the retina to more precisely evaluate the loss of retinal nerve fibres and any damage to the macula in 3D. The OCT can be used for earlier detection and better management of many eye diseases including glaucoma, macula degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, epiretinal membranes and macular holes.
Regular visual field testing can help detect early loss of vision associated with glaucoma. This non-invasive test takes up to 15 minutes to carefully map out your visual field by flashing lights of different brightness in areas of your field of vision to determine the sensitivity of vision across your visual field. This test forms an integral part of your glaucoma assessment and baseline measurements are crucial in early detection of glaucoma.
We usually recommend an eye examination every 12 months but in patients with a high risk profile or we deem are glaucoma suspects, we may recommend more frequent reviews. Our eye testing and visual field testing is bulk billed with Medicare.
What are the early signs and symptoms of Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is often referred to as the “silent thief of sight” because vision loss is often slow with only very subtle symptoms in the early stages. It is often only in the more advanced stages that patients report vision loss.
In the case of acute angle closure glaucoma, a subset of glaucoma characterised by narrowing of the drainage angle and therefore sudden increase of eye pressure over a short period of time there are symptoms. Symptoms of angle closure include redness, hazy vision, nausea or vomiting, headaches, pain around the eye and sensitivity to light. If you experience these symptoms, it is imperative to seek medical treatment immediately.
Is there a glaucoma cure? What is the best glaucoma treatment? When to see a doctor?
Unfortunately there is no cure for glaucoma as of yet but there are treatments to prevent and slow down vision loss. Glaucoma treatment options include eye drops and surgery. Our optometrists are therapeutically endorsed which means they are able to prescribe glaucoma medications and co-manage glaucoma patients with ophthalmologists in North Sydney and surrounding areas to ensure the best optometric care is provided.
If you’re suffering from Glaucoma, call us on (02) 8350 2910 to speak with one of our optometrists, we service the following local areas:
References
https://glaucoma.org.au/index.html
https://bjo.bmj.com/content/103/2/191