Glaucoma 2020

Glaucoma and Vision Disorders

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Glaucoma, called as the silent thief of sight, is an eye disease that is often associated with elevated intraocular pressure, in which damage to the eye (optic) nerve can lead to loss of vision and even blindness. Intraocular pressure increases when either too much fluid is produced in the eye or the drainage or outflow channels (trabecular meshwork) of the eye become blocked.

The accurate causes of optic nerve damage, which comes from glaucoma, includes mechanical compression and/or attenuate blood flow of the optic nerve. Visual information is carried by this optic nerve from the eye to the brain, which is the part of the central nervous system. The nerve fiber extensions of the retinal ganglion cells have made axons and this cranial nerve is built over one million nerve axons. The optic nerve becomes damaged when the eye pressure is increased, and/or other stimulating factors exist there and a process namely Apoptosis happens where the retinal ganglion cells undergo a leisurely procedure of cell death. The death of the retinal cells and degeneration of the nerve fibers results in permanent vision loss.

In addition to eye problems, secondary systemic (body) symptoms may occur. These secondary symptoms are especially common with acute glaucoma. Examples include irritability, loss of appetite, and vomiting.