Question
GLAUCOMA can make one blind without warning if one fails to use necessary eye drops everyday. but another danger is that most of the effective eye drops that relieves pains of glaucoma patients also damage the heart. what is the solution because both glaucoma and heart failure are no human friends. please assist.
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Glaucoma, the second-leading cause of adult blindness after age-related macular degeneration, often results from intraocular pressure (fluid pressure within the eye, or IOP) that is too high for the optic nerve to tolerate. At About age 40 and over have glaucoma, and, because the condition does not cause symptoms in its early stages, half of them do not know it.
There are two types of glaucoma:-
1. open-angle
2. closed-angle glaucoma
The distinction between open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma is made by examining the front part of the eye to check the angle where the iris meets the cornea. Both types of glaucoma can lead to blindness by damaging the optic nerve.
Each day, the eye produces about 1 teaspoon of aqueous humor--a clear fluid that provides nutrients to, and carries waste products away from, the lens and cornea. Ordinarily, fluid production and drainage are in balance, and intraocular pressure (IOP) is between 12 and 22 mm Hg. In people with open-angle glaucoma who have higher-than-normal IOP levels, ophthalmologists suspect that a partial blockage traps the aqueous humor. Exactly how this happens is unclear. As more aqueous humor is produced than is removed, the blockage causes an increase in IOP. When IOP remains elevated or continues to rise, fibers in the optic nerve are compressed and eventually die, leading to a gradual loss of vision.
It is important that any prescribed eye drops are used every day as advised by your doctor, or the pressure in the eye will rise again. There are combination eye drops available that might be more convenient for those who need to use two different medicines.
All the eye drops can cause some irritation to the eyes. In addition, beta-blockers can cause itching and dry eyes. Side-effects of other types of medicine may include taste disturbance, darkening of the iris, thickening and lengthening of eye lashes, headaches and blurred vision.
A laser can be used to open the holes in the trabecular meshwork. The procedure is usually quick and causes little discomfort. No general anaesthetic is required and there is no need for an overnight stay in hospital. The success of this type of treatment varies from person to person, and it may be necessary to continue using eye drops after laser treatment, though often at a lower dose.
