Dorothy FarrarGlaucoma early detection
If the “glaucoma” is recognized in time, there is no cure, but treatment is definitely possible. In glaucoma , the internal pressure of the eye is usually increased and the ophthalmologist is able to detect glaucoma early .
What is glaucoma screening?
Glaucoma does not cause any symptoms and is often only recognized by patients when it is already too late . Therapy is necessary, however, because the symptoms range from a deterioration in vision to complete blindness.
The affected person can no longer see their surroundings clearly and “facial defects” are usually due to glaucoma. The increased eye pressure is only noticed when the optic nerve is already damaged.
This nerve damage can often no longer be treated, so if there is a risk, the ophthalmologist should be consulted in good time. Risk patients often suffer from short-sightedness , circulatory disorders and have an increased risk for family reasons.
application and function
From the age of 40, the eye pressure should be checked regularly, in risk patients from the age of 35. The intraocular pressure should also be measured if diabetes has been diagnosed and if the eyeball is injured or inflamed.
Of course, early detection includes an eye test, tonometry and an ophthalmoscope. The retina of the eye is checked and of course the papilla. Sometimes further tests are necessary to make a definite diagnosis. Glaucoma must be treated quickly, otherwise the disease will progress and can lead to blindness. This is why early detection is so important to ensure a permanent reduction in intraocular pressure.
During glaucoma treatment, the patient will certainly have to visit the ophthalmologist more often, and close monitoring is necessary. The glaucoma can also worsen again and the therapy must be adjusted. Sometimes treatment with tablets or eye drops makes sense, but sometimes an operation is necessary.
process and implementation
In early detection, an eye test is carried out first, but this is actually part of every ophthalmological examination. In the eye test, the visual acuity of the eye is checked, i.e. numbers or letters are projected onto a screen, which must now be recognized. The value of 1.0 is considered to be 100% visual acuity.
Then the intraocular pressure is measured, here various methods are used. Applanation tonometry is probably the most commonly used method, but Pascal tonometry and non-contact tonometry are also on the rise.
What does the patient have to consider?
Eye pressure, while important, is by no means the only cause of glaucoma. The first step is always to lower the intraocular pressure, but even if it drops below 21 mmHg, deterioration of the optic nerve cannot be ruled out. So today an intraocular pressure of less than 12 mmHg is aimed at, a pressure reduction of 30% is quite possible.
However, glaucoma can be prevented, for example through a healthy diet. Of course, you should give up smoking and do a lot of sport. This stimulates the metabolism and protects the blood vessels. Vascular changes and circulatory disorders can be avoided in this way and this also affects the eye.
Glaucoma treatment also includes eye drops, the use of which must not be neglected. So it has to become just as natural as eating and drinking. If intolerances occur, the ophthalmologist must be consulted immediately.
Of course, the healthy diet should be maintained, it is also particularly important in the follow-up care. And if smoking is a thing of the past, don’t start again. The blood pressure should also be observed, it must not be too high, but also not too low.
Self-service or health insurance – who bears the costs?
However, the costs for the early detection of the glaucoma have to be borne by yourself, the health insurance companies do not pay here. It is an IGeL service that is only to be borne by the patient. The opinions of the experts differ quite widely here as to how useful the preventive examinations really are. Consumer advocates speak of a “business with fear”, in turn, ophthalmologists recommend precautionary measures.
The success of the check-ups has not been scientifically proven, so they are not absolutely necessary. It is lucrative for the ophthalmologists, about 3 million examinations are carried out every year and at very different prices.
However, anyone who belongs to a risk group should not take the early detection of glaucoma lightly. Early detection can save eyesight here, and in some cases even health insurance pays. So before you reach into your own pocket, you should always clarify whether the costs might not be covered after all.
Risk groups are, for example, people with extreme short-sightedness, diabetes, high blood pressure and people who have been treated with cortisone for a long time . Of course, also people who already have family problems.
Risks, dangers and complications
Glaucoma can and must be treated, but every treatment method carries risks. Bleeding or secondary bleeding can occur during an eye operation, which could injure the immediate area around the eye. Infections can result in permanent vision loss. Allergic reactions to the materials used cannot be ruled out, and the intraocular pressure can even be too low, which significantly limits the ability to see.
Complications from laser surgery are rather rare, but it is conceivable that the laser does not hit the narrow passage of Schlemmchen’s canal exactly. But here, too, there is at most bleeding, which is not too bad. In some cases, however, an eye operation has to be carried out, if the eye pressure is not significantly reduced, an operation is absolutely necessary. Drug therapy is also offered to treat glaucoma, usually to prevent the disease from progressing.
With all medicines, intolerances and allergies must be expected, which are not triggered by the medicine itself, but by the preservatives. The ophthalmologist knows which eye drops lead to a reduction in intraocular pressure. Drug therapy is usually a lifelong solution, but systemic therapy is only used in exceptional cases, such as acute glaucoma.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.