2% of Australians will develop the disease in their lifetime, and you are ten times more likely to develop it if it runs in your family. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness, after cataracts.
This fluid (aqueous humour) keeps they eye healthy and normally drains. However, when it is overproduced or prevented from draining normally, it may increase the pressure in the eye.
As the nerve deteriorates, blind spots will start to develop in your field of vision.
Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease. Despite having a normal drainage angle, the trabecular meshwork (a type of specialised tissue which helps drain the eye) becomes partially blocked, causing pressure on the optic nerve.
Closed angle glaucoma occurs when the iris bulges forward and blocks the drainage angle between the cornea and the iris, stopping fluid from circulating through the eye. When this closure happens suddenly, it is called acute angle-closure. If it is gradual, it is called chronic angle-closure.
Acute angle-closure glaucoma is an eye emergency. If these symptoms onset suddenly, it is important to visit your local emergency department immediately. Immediate treatment is necessary to prevent permanent vision loss.
As the name suggests, normal tension glaucoma develops despite normal pressure in the eye. Medical professionals are not 100% sure why this happens, but could be due to having a sensitive optic nerve or poor blood flow in the arteries.
Some children may be born with glaucoma, or may develop it early on in their lives. This is normally due to an underlying medical condition or drainage blockages.
Pigment granules from the iris can build up in the drainage channels, causing blockages and increasing the eye’s pressure intermittently.
Symptoms of pigmentary glaucoma include:
Initially, there may not be any symptoms at all. However, this can change as the condition progresses. This may result in:
More than half the people living with glaucoma are still unaware that they have the disease, so it is important to be aware of the warning signs.
Factors which may put you at a higher risk of developing glaucoma include:
There are currently no known ways of prevention. However, the disease can be managed if detected early, and significant vision loss can be prevented.
To increase your chances of detecting glaucoma and addressing it before it causes significant vision detraction, it is important to:
In some cases, medication can be used to control and lower the pressure on the eye. In more advanced cases, surgery or laser treatment may be required to treat your glaucoma.
Dr Joseph Park conducts laser surgical procedures at Westside Eye Clinic.
Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) involves directing laser pulses at the eye’s drainage flow channels. This stimulates the cells and clears away any debris causing blockages. This will lower the pressure on the eye, and can be used in conjunction with specialised eye drops.
YAG laser peripheral iridotomy is used for angle-closure glaucoma. It creates a channel in the iris, opening up the drainage angle and preventing the disease from progressing any further.
If medication or laser surgery fail to halt the progress of your condition, then Dr Park might recommend surgery as the next step in your treatment.
There are a few surgical procedures available to treat the disease.
Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) – In mild to moderate cases, microstents are placed in the drainage angle to bypass the blocked trabecular meshwork. This restores the natural drainage system.
Filtration Surgery (Trabeculectomy) – People who don’t respond to other treatments will undergo filtration surgery. A new pathway will be created to allow the fluid of the eye to bypass the obstruction, and drain out of the eye.
Ahmed Drainage Implant – The Ahmed Drainage Implant is a drainage device that is inserted into the eye to control pressure.