Common FAQs about Glaucoma
Updated: Feb 10
Glaucoma is a disease marked by gradual loss of vision. However, unlike other ocular illnesses, the patient does not perceive the gradual diminution of vision which generally tends to occur over months and years. Let me share some FAQs asked by my patients. For more details, please feel free to contact me.
Let us begin:
1. What is Glaucoma?
To begin with, our human eye is akin to a camera. Just like a camera clicks photographs, the human eye catches images. What is in that images, has to be analysed by the brain, to be precise the occipital cortex which is situated at the backside of the skull. The optic nerve acts as a conduit which sends signals from the eye to the brain for analyses and we are able to see.
Means for good vision, the entire system must be healthy and work properly; the eyes, the optic nerve and the brain.
Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that can damage the optic nerve, leading to permanent visual loss and blindness. Once this nerve gets damaged, there is no replacement. There are no mediciens or surgeries that can enhance its ability again. Hence identification and treatment of glaucoma becomes essential.
Glaucoma is often called the 'silent thief of sight' because it often has no symptoms in the early stages, and vision loss may occur gradually over time. Patients may perceive a peripheral visual loss in very advanced stages of the disease.
2. What causes glaucoma?
Again let us understand with a simple example. The human eye is also akin to a balloon. To keep the balloon inflated and in a good shape, it needs to be inflated either using air or water.
Similarly, the eye needs to maintain its shape. A liquid called, aqueous humour is secreted inside the eye which exerts pressure and sustains its spherical contour.
Any condition which increases the pressure within the eye can cause damage to the optic nerve by various mechanisms.
However, there are also other factors that may contribute to the development of glaucoma, including genetics, age, systemic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, and steroid use.
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