Living with Glaucoma
Living With Glaucoma: Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma
So how do you tell if this type of glaucoma is likely what you have? With Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma, the following is likely:
� Your eye, or eyes are red, and you have dilated pupils.
âÂ?¢ Severe pain and vision loss, lights make your eyes sensitive and appear to have “halos” around them.
� In the older age groups, this type of glaucoma comes rapidly.
Living With Glaucoma: What is Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma?
This glaucoma condition occurs only with closure of a pre-existing narrow anterior chamber angle. This is usually found in elderly people and Asians. Angle closure may come on rapidly by pupil area dilation. Pupillary dilation can occur from any of the following:
� Sitting in a darkened theater
� Stressful times
� Pharmacologic Mydriasis
� Nebulized bronchodilators,
� Anti-depressants
� Nasal decongestants
Secondary Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma may occur with anterior Uveitis, this location of the lens or Topiramate therapy.
Although the symptoms are the same in both of these glaucoma conditions, you need a medical diagnosis to differentiate between the two as seperate treatments vary.
Living With Glaucoma: Treatments
After being properly diagnosed by your doctor or eye specialist, the initial treatment in Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma is controlling the intraocular pressure. Acetazolamide will be administered first intravenously then followed by a lesser dose orally approximately 4 times a day.
Laser therapy to the peripheral iris (or anterior chamber) is also effective. When the intra ocular pressure has begun to fall, prescription eye drops will then be administered to reverse the angle closure.
The best treatment I have heard of is the laser peripheral iridectomy.
Living With Glaucoma: Chronic Glaucoma
Unlike the previous glaucoma conditions, chronic glaucoma has no symptoms in its early stages. Tunnel vision can occur after many years of the gradual loss of your peripheral vision. Progression usually comes on in older age groups of approximately 60 years and older.
Living With Glaucoma: What is Chronic Glaucoma?
In Chronic Open Angle Glaucoma the intraocular pressure is elevated because of decreased drainage of aqueous though the Trabecular meshwork. The flow of aqueous to the anterior chamber is usually hindered. However, Normal Tension Glaucoma does not have elevated intraocular pressure but the same type of nerve damage occurs.
This is why it is so important, especially for the elderly, to see their eye doctor frequently. Because there are no symptoms with this certain condition, this type of glaucoma is usually only detected through routine check ups. If your doctor can catch it early on the treatments can not only be easier on your body but it will also cost a lot less then the advanced treatments.
Living With Glaucoma: Chronic Glaucoma Treatment
Laser Trabeculoplasty is used to defer surgery and is advocated as primary treatment by most eye doctors. This remains the standard procedure and can usually perform good results.
