“When I was first diagnosed with glaucoma, I was depressed. I didn’t know much about glaucoma, or whether the pressure could be controlled. I had trouble even accepting that something this serious could happen to my eyes.”- Roger McGuinn, Co-founder of the famed pop music group The Byrds.
With no treatment needed, glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, while simultaneously being the number one leading cause in Africa (Glaucoma Research Foundation). According to the American Optometric Association, “Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases causing optic nerve damage. The optic nerve carries images from the retina, which is the specialized light sensing tissue, to the brain so we can see.” They go on to say that when
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Kennedy, Dr. Olivia Scott).
However this is isn't the case with narrow/closed-angle glaucoma and secondary forms of glaucoma. These types cause rapid closure of the area of tissue in the eye located around the base of the cornea; doctor term being the trabecular meshwork, along with a symptomatic rapid rise in intraocular pressure (eye fluid pressure). The cause of blindness in chronic open-angle glaucoma is a partial blockage within the trabecular meshwork that restricts the drainage of aqueous humour. The reason why the trabecular meshwork becomes blocked and does not drain well is not fully understood, as concluded by Dr. Tim Kenny. The aqueous humour builds up if the drainage is faulty and this increases the pressure within your eye. “The increased pressure in your eye can damage the nerve fibers, which is the main nerve of sight, running from the retina at the point where they converge to become the optic nerve (known as the optic nerve head or optic disc).” When fibers are damage the result is patches of vision loss, in some cases this can evidently lead to total blindness.
With only redness of the retina being a visible symptom, all other symptoms don’t show, even pain is absent. Because peripheral vision is the first to go, most people with glaucoma don’t notice any problems until quite a bit of visual loss has occurred. When reading, our peripheral vision is absent and our central vision is what is primarily engaged. As glaucoma takes over, this
Macular Degeneration is a disease of the eye that gradually causes loss of a person’s central vision. Approximately 1.75 million Americans suffer from vision loss associated with the disease (All About Vision 1). The leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 60, Macular Degeneration, exists in two types (National Eye Institute 1). Both the wet and dry versions of the disease have similarities in risk factors, but differ in symptoms and treatments.
A patient complaining of blurred vision, rainbow-colored circles around bright lights, eye and head pain accompanied by nausea, and sudden loss of vision (GRF, 2012) can all signal glaucoma, so educating patients to get treatment as early as possible to avoid further damage is imperative. When working with patients diagnosed with glaucoma it is crucial for a PTA to keep in mind that balance can be an issue because of impaired vision so keeping them safe from falls during exercise is vital, and it may be necessary to use tactile cues in addition to verbal
I am indecisive on what occupation I would like to pursue in. I have many ideas on what I would like to become. Optometrist, optometrist assistant, something to do with law, forensic scientist, or becoming a business owner are my main top occupations I consider. For now, an occupation I would consider and enjoy is to become an optometrist or an optometrist assistant. I’ve always been fascinated by the nervous system, particularly with the optic nerves. I want to help people who aren’t able to see clearly or help them with any problem they have with their eyes. I have glaucoma and I tested for the disease for a year until I was officially diagnosed. There are two types of Glaucoma, Open-angle glaucoma, which is what I have is the type where
As it was stated before cataracts can lead to Glaucoma. Aqueous humor that would normally drain out the eye, through the junction of the cornea and sclera into the blood stream, is being blocked by the free-floating cataract, yet the production of the aqueous humor is still maintained (Smith). Glaucoma is the increased eye pressure that develops from this continuous buildup of aqueous humor within the eye. Untreated, this can cause permanent blindness, and enlargement of the eye. Glaucoma is also common is dog and cats, yet even with advanced medical and surgical treatments, many of them will lose their eye
Glaucoma is caused when fluid is overproduced and it can't flow out at its normal rate which causes pressure to build up.
Glaucoma is an eye disorder that cause severe blindness. There are multiple types of Glaucoma however, they all have something to do with damage to the optic nerve (usually form high eye pressure) that sends and receives information to the brain form the eye. Glaucoma can be a very dangerous disease although it is no fatal but it can contribute to the failure of one of the bodies most important senses which is blindness. In most cases, glaucoma is correlated with high pressure inside the eye (ocular hypertension),but it also can occur when intraocular pressure (IOP) is normal. If left untreated glaucoma first causes peripheral vision loss and eventually leads to total blindness.
Glaucoma can occur without much warning, whether its acute from a accident in which a trauma is issued on the eye, or if it is due to age and heredity. Glaucoma doesn 't discriminate, it is seen in all races and genders. It happens so slowly with age and heredity that you don 't even notice the loss of vision until it is too late, and with acute glaucoma it can be painful with pain that radiates over the face, a headache, nausea, vomiting and seeing colored halos around lights and even blurred vision can be a few symptoms (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2013). Once you start seeing halos, and lose peripheral vision, it may be an indicator that irreversible damage to the optic nerve has happened. In this paper we will discuss the pathophysiology of glaucoma, the types of glaucoma as well as the causes for them. the issues that glaucoma can cause someone, and the treatments and interventions. We will also have a education handout to help better understand how to administer the medication, and the effects it has on the eye.
This depends on how early or late patients are willing to receive a diagnosis from ophthalmologists. In early treatments, glaucoma is not curable, but there are methods to control its progression or to prevent the increased risk of blindness. What ophthalmologists aim for in treating this disease is decreasing intraocular pressure in one’s eye. Determined by the condition the patients are in, “options may include eye drops, laser treatment, or surgery.” The Prevent Blindness America Organization plays an extensive role in projecting awareness for glaucoma and in helping those to fight against it. They “conduct mass glaucoma screenings” and list possible medications such as beta-blockers and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. These are used to decrease the quantity of aqueous fluid in the eye (Marks and Montauredes
Glaucoma is a disease that damages the optic nerve because of extra fluid increasing pressure in the eye (Boyd). It is also the leading cause of blindness if left untreated in people over sixty Boyd states. Varieties of options are available for treatment regarding glaucoma and all are intended to lower the blood pressure and protect optic nerve (Radhakrishan and Iwach). Glaucoma can be treated with eye drops, pills, and surgery or a combination of these methods. (“Treating Glaucoma”). Right now eye drops are the first choice of treatment because they lower eye pressure, helping fluid drain better or decreasing fluid made by the eye (Radhakrishan and Iwach). As is states in the article “Treating Glaucoma” when eye drops cannot control the glaucoma,
As humans, we don't always see with our eyes, but often with our imagination (Grunwald, 2016). Often times as people we never realize how useful our vision really is to us. You really don't think about something like that until it would actual happen to you. Throughout this essay, you will learn how the body is affected by Macular Degeneration (MD). Different signs and symptoms, as well as the etiology of MD, will be discussed. In the following, diagnosis tests and treatments may also be listed in order to help others who would like to know more about MD. Not to mention, you will learn the incidence and progression of MD. Furthermore, information though agencies and associations, as well as new research about MD will be given.
Therefore, before a patient could enter a clinical trial it would have to be determined whether his/her retinas were still viable. Using high resolution imaging technology called Optical Coherence Tomography; researchers studied the structure of the retina of patients with LCA and controls without disease to determine whether it was possible to ascertain
Family history of glaucoma—having a family history of glaucoma increases the risk of developing glaucoma.
Glaucoma is a condition that affects the eyes by causing damage to the optic nerve within the eye and it can worsen over time. It’s generally associated with an increase in pressure inside of the eye. More often than not it’s inherited and may not reveal itself until much later in life. The increase in pressure is known as intraocular pressure and can damage the optic nerve that’s responsible for transmitting images to your brain. Sadly, if you fail to recognise that you’re suffering from glaucoma and neglect to have it treated, then the damage to the optic nerve from high pressure can become permanent resulting in permanent vision loss. Without treatment, glaucoma can and will result in total and irreversible blindness within a
Right now, although there is no way to prevent glaucoma, there are many successful treatments available to prevent the blindness caused by glaucoma. Because the gradual vision loss of chronic glaucoma may not be noticed until it is too late, regular eye examinations, dilated exams of the optic nerve, and screening tests of the visual field are essential for all persons aged 40 and older, especially is your family has a history of glaucoma.
Retinal illuminance is a key factor in the sharpness of someone’s vision and in turn, their visual acuities. If not enough light is reaching the retina, the human brain cannot distinguish between certain details in a word, much less a letter. The cataract, depending on where it is located in the lens, causes light to bend around it in an effort to reach the retina with full illuminance. This allows the light to reach the photoreceptors of the retina, which can then be transduced into a chemical signal that follows its pathway to eventually, the visual cortex. This results in an image perceived by the brain. However, if the cataract is big enough, it can prevent the light from reaching the photoreceptors and disrupting the whole process of the visual system. Therefore, it is imperative that the lens be free of noise in an effort to transduce as much light as possible to the retina. This means removing the cataract, thereby increasing a person’s visual acuity.