Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a serious eye condition where there is progressive destruction of the optic nerve leading to deterioration in vision. This can lead to irreversible blindness.

It is a leading cause of irreversible blindness and is second only to cataracts as the most common cause of blindness overall. Worldwide, glaucoma affects more than 70 million people, about 10% of whom are estimated to be blind.

In this condition, an increase in pressure within the eye is usually the culprit. This pressure buildup is the result of the abnormal drainage of fluid, called aqueous, within the eye. As a result, the blood vessels that nourish the optic nerve are squeezed, effectively reducing the supply of oxygen and nutrients to this vital tissue. The increased pressure likewise causes mechanical damage to the structures that comprise the optic nerve. All these contribute to the development of visual loss.

In patients with glaucoma, peripheral vision --- the top, side and bottom areas of vision --- are usually affected and lost first. Early in the disease, this loss in vision often goes unnoticed. Then, as the glaucomatous damage worsens, this "tunnel vision" becomes narrower and narrower.

The key to successful glaucoma management is EARLY DETECTION, APPROPRIATE AND ADEQUATE TREATMENT, and REGULAR MONITORING of the disease.

The American Eye Center is fully equipped with the most advanced facilities and latest technology to diagnose, treat and monitor patients with all types of glaucoma.

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