Glaucoma is the name given to a total of up to 60 eye diseases that usually end up causing blindness due to progressive degeneration of the optic nerve. This occurs when the internal pressure of the eye varies and becomes higher than usual , causing damage to the ocular nerve that transmits visual information to the brain and causing the person to lose their visual capacity until, if it is not treated in time , produce permanent blindness .
Glaucoma affects an estimated 60 million people and is the second most common cause of permanent blindness in the population. Despite the fact that, with proper diagnosis and treatment, this situation could be prevented in 90% of cases , the WHO estimates that the number of people affected by glaucoma who lose their sight will have increased by 2020.
It is precisely because of the importance for those affected to recognize the presence of any type of glaucoma and to treat it in time that World Glaucoma Day was created. Since 2008, promoted by the World Glaucoma Association ( WGA ) and the World Association of Glaucoma Patients ( WGPA ), March 12 has become a day to try to raise awareness of the dangers of glaucoma and the importance of it. receive the appropriate care to avoid permanent consequences.
The first major problem posed by glaucoma is that, in its majority of variants, it does not present bothersome symptoms that the affected person is easily aware of. Although this makes it difficult for the population to undergo the necessary tests to control the presence of glaucoma, noticing blurred vision, headache or eyes, nausea or sudden loss of vision is usually indicative that the eye pressure is high and should be seen to a professional.
The most used method to diagnose glaucoma is performed in routine eye examinations through a tonometer that measures intraocular pressure (IOP). While the normal value of the IOP should be around 21mmHg , in people who suffer from some type of glaucoma it is usually around 30mmHg . Other effective tests include gonioscopy, laser scanning polarimetry, or optical coherence tomography . Treatments can range from drops to keep the IOP low to laser surgery or medication depending on the severity of the glaucoma.
