Everyone should be concerned about glaucoma?

Everyone should be concerned about glaucoma and its effects. It is important for each of us, from infants to senior citizens, to have our eyes checked regularly, because early detection and treatment of glaucoma are the only way to prevent vision impairment and blindness. There are a few factors related to this disease which tend to put some people at greater risk:
•People over the age of 40.
While glaucoma can develop in younger patients, it occurs more frequently as we get older. •People who have a family history of glaucoma.
Glaucoma appears to run in families. The tendency for developing glaucoma may be inherited. However, just because someone in your family has glaucoma does not mean that you will necessarily develop the disease. •People with abnormally high intraocular pressure (IOP).
High IOP is the most important risk factor for glaucomatous damage. •People of African-American, Hispanic, or Asian-American descent.
African-Americans and Hispanics have a greater tendency for developing primary open-angle glaucoma than do people of other races. Asian-Americans are more prone to develop angle-closure glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma.
•People who have: ◦Diabetes ◦Myopia (nearsightedness) ◦Regular, long-term steroid/cortisone use ◦A previous eye injury ◦A family history of glaucoma
◦Extremely high or low blood pressure
Everyone under 40 should have a comprehensive eye examination every three to four years. Individuals under 40 with one of the above risk factors should get tested every one and a half to two years. Everyone 40 years or older should have a comprehensive eye examination every one and a half to two years. If you are 40 and have an additional risk factor listed above, get tested annually. Anyone with high risk factors should be tested every year or two after 35.

Childhood glaucoma .....

.....is an unusual eye disease and significant cause of childhood blindness. It is caused by disease related abnormal increase in intraocular pressure. The multiple potential causes fall into one of two categories and may be primary or secondary to some other disease process. Primary congenital glaucoma results from abnormal development of the ocular drainage system. It occurs in about 1 out of 10,000 births in the United States and is the most common form of glaucoma in infants. Secondary glaucomas result from disorders of the body or eye and may or may not be genetic. Both types may be associated with other medical diseases.
Ten percent of primary congenital glaucomas are present at birth, and 80 percent are diagnosed during the first year of life. The pediatrician or family first notice eye signs of glaucoma including clouding and/or enlargement of the cornea. The elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) can cause the eyeball itself to enlarge and injury to the cornea. Important early symptoms of glaucoma in infants and children are poor vision, light sensitivity, tearing, and blinking.

Pediatric glaucoma is treated differently than adult glaucoma. Most patients require surgery and this is typically performed early. The aim of pediatric glaucoma surgery is to reduce IOP either by increasing the outflow of fluid from the eye or decrease the production of fluid within the eye. One operation for pediatric glaucoma is goniotomy. Its rate of success is associated with the age of the child at the time of diagnosis, the type and severity of the glaucoma, and the surgery technique. Other surgical options are trabeculectomy and glaucoma drainage tubes.

Approximately 80-90 percent of babies who receive prompt surgical treatment, long-term care, and monitoring of their visual development will do well, and may have normal or nearly normal vision for their lifetime. Sadly, primary congenital glaucoma results in blindness in 2 to 15 percent of childhood patients. When childhood glaucoma is not recognized and treated promptly more permanent visual loss will result.

Pediatric Glaucoma.

The pediatric glaucomas consist of congenital glaucoma (present at birth), infantile glaucoma (appears during the first three years), juvenile glaucoma (age three through the teenage or young adult years), and all the secondary glaucomas occurring in the pediatric age group.

Congenital glaucoma is present at birth and most cases are diagnosed during the first year of life. Sometimes symptoms are not recognized until later in infancy or early childhood.

The range of treatment is very different from that for adult glaucoma. It is very important to catch pediatric glaucoma early in order to prevent blindness.

When do you need eye surgery?

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder- yes; your eyes are a vital pair of sensory organs that the above statement partially describes their purpose.

Eyes are highly sensitive organs that demand a lot of care and attention and it does not require to be told the importance of this visual asset. Of course, individuals cannot determine the requirement of eye surgery, it is the job of an ophthalmologist who are skilled professionals having the license to carry out a surgical procedure on your eyes based on the diagnosis.
Eye-surgery has different terminologies such as orogolomistician aka ocular surgery is rather a very complex procedure that requires professional acumen. The most common eye_surgery is the cataract, which is carried out normally on aging people due to the crystalline lens getting cloudy and barring the light to create a clear picture on the retina. Based on the severity of the situation the ophthalmologist will be able to guide you with the suitable surgical procedure. Glaucoma is another medical condition that damages the optic nerve and might result in visual loss but the different glaucoma eye-surgeries can certainly help you to combat the disease.

Then you also have the refractive surgery that will correct the refractory errors in the eye to avoid the use of lenses. The other common kind of eye surgery is Eye muscle surgery that basically alters the strabismus and involves many more corrective measures. Eye-surgery is also performed on repair fractures due to injury, to remove tumours and even as a facelift measure that solely depends on the ophthalmologist to decide the kind of surgery you need based on the problem.