What Is Glaucoma?

Increased intraocular pressure can damage the optic nerve over time. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent vision loss and even blindness. Not every glaucoma patient has high intraocular pressure. In some individuals, damage to the optic nerve due to glaucoma can occur despite normal intraocular pressure levels. For this reason, a comprehensive eye examination is just as important as measuring eye pressure.

What Are the Symptoms of Glaucoma?

The most significant characteristic of glaucoma, particularly the most common type known as open-angle glaucoma, is that it can progress for a long time without showing any symptoms. Consequently, many people only discover they have the condition during a routine eye exam.

As the disease progresses, the following symptoms may appear:

• Narrowing of peripheral (side) vision
• Development of blind spots in the visual field
• Blurred vision
• Reduced night vision
• Impairment of central vision in advanced stages

Sudden-onset angle-closure glaucoma is a medical emergency that may present with the following symptoms:

• Severe eye pain
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Redness in the eye
• Seeing colored halos around lights
• Sudden vision loss

What Causes Glaucoma?

The fluid continuously produced inside the eye is drained through specialized channels. A disruption in the balance between the production and drainage of this fluid can cause intraocular pressure to rise.

Factors that increase the risk of developing glaucoma include:

• Advanced age
• Family history of glaucoma
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High myopia or hyperopia
• Long-term use of corticosteroid medications
• Eye injuries
• Thin corneal structure

How Is Glaucoma Diagnosed?

A glaucoma diagnosis is not based solely on measuring intraocular pressure. A comprehensive eye examination along with various tests are used.

Diagnostic methods include:

• Measurement of intraocular pressure (Tonometry)
• Optic nerve examination
• Visual field test
• Corneal thickness measurement (Pachymetry)
• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
• Evaluation of the eye's drainage angle via gonioscopy

These assessments allow for the determination of the disease stage and the planning of appropriate treatment.

How Is Glaucoma Treated?

The goal of glaucoma treatment is to stop or slow the progression of optic nerve damage by lowering intraocular pressure to a safe level. Since existing nerve damage cannot be reversed, early diagnosis is of great importance.

Eye Drop Treatment

Eye drops are generally the first choice in glaucoma treatment. These medications can reduce the production of intraocular fluid or increase its drainage. For the treatment to be successful, the drops must be used regularly and exactly as prescribed by your doctor.

Laser Treatment

For some glaucoma patients, laser procedures can help control intraocular pressure. Laser treatment may be preferred, especially in cases where medication is insufficient or not considered appropriate.

Surgical Treatment

Surgical methods may be applied to patients for whom medication and laser treatment are not sufficient. The goal of surgery is to create a new drainage pathway that allows fluid inside the eye to drain more easily.

The choice of treatment is determined based on the type of glaucoma, the stage of the disease, intraocular pressure levels, and the patient's overall health.

Can Glaucoma Be Prevented?

While it is not always possible to prevent glaucoma entirely, vision loss can be largely avoided through early diagnosis.

To achieve this:

• Regular eye exams should be scheduled.
• If there is a family history of glaucoma, check-ups should not be neglected.
• Chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension should be kept under control.
• Eye drops should not be used without a doctor's recommendation.
• Medications containing cortisone should only be used under medical supervision.

Who Should Have Regular Glaucoma Screenings?

The following individuals are at a higher risk for glaucoma:

• Individuals aged 40 and over
• Those with a family history of glaucoma
• Patients with diabetes
• People with high blood pressure
• People undergoing long-term cortisone treatment
• Individuals who have previously experienced eye trauma

Glaucoma is a significant eye disease that can progress without symptoms in its early stages and lead to permanent vision loss if left untreated. Through regular eye exams, the disease can be detected early, and with appropriate treatment, the progression of vision loss can be largely prevented. It is especially important for those in high-risk groups not to skip their eye health check-ups to maintain their quality of vision throughout their lives.