“Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Half of the people who have it do not know they have it and unfortunately they usually find out when significant damage has already been done,” explains Dr. Wilde Mendoza, ophthalmologist at our clinic, who provides us with more information on this eye disease”.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve, the cable that sends the visual signal from our eyes to the brain.  This nerve is made up of many fibers that are gradually damaged and lost, leading to progressive deterioration of vision and, in many cases, to blindness.

What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

• Normally, glaucoma does not present noticeable symptoms, which is why it is known as the “enemy or silent thief of vision”. This condition is due to the fact that vision loss usually begins at the sides, affecting our peripheral vision or “corner of the eye”, which makes early detection difficult.
• There may also be a decrease in contrast or color perception, but these changes are usually subtle and may go unnoticed.
• In a minority of people (less than 10% of cases), they may experience headache or eye pain, redness or a sudden decrease in vision. These symptoms correspond to acute glaucoma that must be treated immediately because of the risk of blindness within days.

What are the causes?

The most common form, primary glaucoma, has a genetic origin. It is associated with alterations in the structure of the eye that predispose the optic nerve to disease. However, there are also secondary glaucomas, which can be caused by several factors such as the use of corticoids, ocular trauma, ocular diseases such as uveitis, systemic diseases such as diabetes, among other causes.

How is it diagnosed?

During the ophthalmological consultation, we directly evaluate the state of the optic nerve. If necessary, we complement this evaluation with auxiliary tests such as visual field and optical coherence tomography (OCT), among others.

Recommendations to prevent glaucoma

The best prevention is early detection. Therefore, an annual ophthalmologic evaluation is recommended starting at age 40, especially if there is a family history of glaucoma, high lens measurement, high ocular pressure, or diseases such as diabetes.

Remember:

• Allowing glaucoma to progress can lead to visual impairment, cognitive impairment, depression and an increased risk of falls or accidents. Therefore, it is critical to address it early on, when various treatment options are available.
• Glaucoma blindness can be prevented, but this requires early detection. Do not neglect your visual health; have an ophthalmologic checkup once a year and go for a consultation in case of any abnormal symptom that could seriously affect your vision.

Dr. Wilde Mendoza
Ophthalmologist at Clínica Ricardo Palma