National Glaucoma Awareness Week

12th, Jun 2017

Glaucoma is a condition that affects a person’s sight; it is due to a build-up of pressure within the eye. The eyeball contains a fluid called aqueous humour which is constantly produced by the eye, with any excess drained though tubes.

Glaucoma develops when the fluid cannot drain properly and pressure builds up, known as the intraocular pressure. This pressure can damage the optic nerve (connects eye to brain) and the nerve fibres from the retina.

There are four main types of glaucoma:

1. Chronic Open-Angle Glaucoma – this is the most common type of glaucoma and develops very slowly

2. Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma – this is rare and can occur slowly (chronic) or may develop rapidly (acute) with a sudden, painful build-up of pressure in the eye

3. Secondary Glaucoma – this mainly occurs as a result of an eye injury or another eye condition, such as uveitis (inflammation of the middle layer of the eye)

4. Developmental glaucoma (congenital glaucoma) – a rare but sometimes serious type of glaucoma which occurs in very young children, caused by an abnormality of the eye

Glaucoma can be treated using 3 methods:

Eye Drops
Laser Treatment
Surgery

However, early diagnosis of the condition is extremely important. Any damage that has been done to the eye cannot be reversed, so catching and treating it early helps control the condition as well as minimise any future damage.

Glaucoma can be prevented with regular visits to your optician as this will help ensure any early signs of Glaucoma are detected. At Kingsbridge Opticians & Hearing Care, our Spectralis 4D eye scanner can help diagnose and monitor conditions such as Glaucoma.

If you are worried about your sight or a relatives, don’t hesitate to book an appointment.

Call Kingsbridge Opticians & Hearing Care today on 02890667030.