1. What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a chronic (long standing) disease in which nerve of the eye (Known as optic nerve which transmits all visual impulses from retina to brain) gets damaged. The visual loss due to glaucoma is progressive and permanent and may be related to high pressure of eye known as intra ocular pressure (IOP). IOP is not synonymous to the blood pressure of the body. Glaucoma has emerged as the second most important cause of adulthood blindness only after cataract, and also the leading cause of preventable blindness. Blindness due to cataract is reversible after cataract surgery while blindness due to glaucoma is irreversible. In glaucoma, usually the central vision remains intact till last and peripheral vision is first affected. Most people who go blind from glaucoma are blind in at least one eye at the time of first detection, which highlights the need for early diagnosis. Because glaucoma usually does not cause any symptoms until extensive peripheral visual loss becomes apparent to the patient only in the final stages of the disease, it is often called “sneak thief of sight.” As, it is usually asymptomatic till end stage and also the general awareness is very less, glaucoma is emerging as major cause of permanent blindness with increasing socio-economical burden.
Unlike most eye diseases, most varieties of glaucoma are chronic, virtually lifelong disorders than can be controlled but not cured. Like other life long diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, or arthritis, glaucoma management requires some modification in lifestyle, such as compliance with medical regimens, regular physician visits, and acknowledgement of the nature of disease to achieve successful treatment.
In following pages, we have tried to give all details which you would like to know regarding this blinding disease.