Glaucoma, often known as the 'silent thief of sight,' sneaks up on you without warning and without pain. That's what makes it so dangerous. If it’s not caught in time, it can lead to serious vision damage, potentially ending in blindness. Glaucoma is the
Due to the seriousness of glaucoma, which affects about 300,000 people in Slovakia and around 80 million worldwide, World Glaucoma Week raises awareness every year. This year, it falls from March 8 to 14.
The number of people with glaucoma keeps rising, with estimates suggesting it could reach 110 million by 2040. Current eye medicine can't fully treat glaucoma, only slow its progression, making early detection crucial.
What causes glaucoma?
“Glaucoma often arises from increased intraocular pressure, which gradually damages the optic nerve over time,” explains Pavel Stodůlka, head of the Gemini eye clinic network. However, he notes that the disease can develop “even with normal intraocular pressure, possibly due to changes in the blood supply to the optic nerve.”
How does glaucoma manifest?
About half of the patients are unaware of their condition, as the early stages usually don't hurt and show no significant symptoms. A patient might not notice the reduced peripheral vision, a key symptom, at first. By the time they realize something's up, it could be too late.
In this condition, the optic nerve gets gradually damaged, leading to typical visual field loss. Check out below to see what someone with glaucoma might see:
“That's why regular eye exams after 40, when it usually starts appearing, are so important,” emphasizes Stodůlka. “While vision damage from glaucoma can’t be reversed, it can mostly be halted or slowed with eye drops to reduce intraocular pressure. If drops don’t work, an eye doctor might suggest a laser or surgical procedure to lower the pressure,” he explains treatment options.
Don't underestimate prevention
Glaucoma is often confused with cataracts. “Cataracts involve the gradual clouding of the eye lens,” the eye surgeon explains, noting that cataracts can be surgically treated with excellent results on vision clarity, while glaucoma nerve damage can't be reversed.
Usually, glaucoma affects people over 65, but it can also occur in younger folks and, rarely, in children, mostly due to heredity. “The risk increases as you get older,” describes Dr. Ivana Maťugová.
Genetics, age, and other health conditions like diabetes play roles. “Some types of glaucoma can emerge at any age, sometimes after eye injuries, inflammations, or related to other eye conditions or surgeries,” she informs.
We only get one health, don’t forget about prevention.
