:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/XQ3CIDUZWZHUTGU4QZTXO6PZS4.jpg "Glaucoma: half of people who have it do not know it")
He glaucoma are the first cause of irreversible blindness in the world, but it can be avoided by diagnosing it in time. However, as usually does not give symptoms and adults do not often have their eyes checked, it is often detected in advanced stages, already with degrees of irreparable visual impairment.
To help prevent this situation, by taking advantage of the World Glaucoma Week, who is commemorated from March 12 to 18, there Argentinian Glaucoma Association and Argentinian Council of Ophthalmology came together to raise awareness of this problem.
1 in 200 people over the age of 40 have glaucoma worldwide, a figure that rises to 1 in 8 among those over 80. It is estimated that currently affects 78 million people worldwide and that this figure will increase to nearly 112 million by 2040.
“In our country, although we do not have precise statistics or records, it is estimated that there are more than a million people with the disease, but with a high degree of underdiagnosis, which amounts to 50%. This is a situation in which it is important to take action as soon as possible to preserve the visual health and the quality of life of the population,” said the doctor. Marcos Geriapresident of the Argentinian Association of Glaucoma (ASAG).
There age This is the main risk factor for developing glaucoma (it is more frequent after 40 years). In addition, having relatives with glaucoma multiplies the risk between 4 and 8 times. There diabetes, there myopia e presbyopia they also increase the risk.
it’s a disease chronic, progressive and degenerative of the optic nerve that damages the visual field. “The earlier glaucoma is diagnosed, the less the optic nerve will be damaged and the greater the vision that the person will be able to preserve, which is why it is so necessary to carry out eye checks”, the doctor pointed out. Javier Casiraghiformer president of Argentine Council of Ophthalmology (CAO).
“It usually does not give symptoms because if one of the two eyes is more damaged by the disease, the other eye tends to compensate for the decrease in vision or it is the same brain that fills these areas of the visual field , then the person does not feel You notice that you see less, but if you do not check the sight, allows the disease to advance without knowing it”, explain While drinking.
On the causes of all eye conditions, experts in the mayo clinic warn: “Glaucoma develops when the optic nerve is damaged. As this nerve deteriorates, blind spots appear in vision. For reasons that doctors do not fully understand, these nerve damage are usually linked to increased pressure in the eye.
And they add: “The pressure raised in the eye occurs as a result of the accumulation of liquid flowing inside the eye. This fluid is also known as the aqueous humor. It normally drains through the tissues at the angle where the iris and cornea meet. This fabric is also called Trabecular network. The cornea is important for vision because it allows light to pass through to the eye. When the eye produces too much fluid or the drainage system does not work as it should, the pressure in the eye can increase.
He control detecting glaucoma is simple: it consists of measure eye pressure, which is elevated in people who develop this disease. It takes seconds, is invasive, does not hurt at all, does not impress or make patients uncomfortable.
With regard to When checkups to diagnose glaucoma in time, the World Glaucoma Association recommends the following:
– Before 40 years: every 2 to 4 years.
– Between 40 and 60: every 2-3 years.
– From the age of 60: every 1 to 2 years.
In any event, the CAO and GISA have clarified that the frequency of checks This will depend on the risk that each particular person has. They first recommend a ophthalmological examination routine in all adults, including measurement of intraocular pressure and, if possible, evaluation of the optic nerve.
Next, people at risk of developing glaucoma will need more frequent medical examinations and also Additional tests assess its evolution over time.
Regarding the treatment of glaucoma, “it must be individualized according to the type of glaucoma or the needs of each patient, but what it aims is the reduction of intraocular pressure, which is achieved by applying certain eye drops, performing surgery conventional or laser, or a combination of the different strategies”, added Casiraghi.
Continue reading: