{"id":389507,"date":"2024-06-29T08:38:15","date_gmt":"2024-06-29T08:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/?p=389507"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-06-29T08:38:15","slug":"","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/?p=389507","title":{"rendered":"Glaucoma \u2014 not heard of it? Meet the serial silent view killer<\/span>"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
Among the eye diseases are those that are especially dangerous. At first they are asymptomatic \u2014 nothing hurts, there are no complaints, they can \u201cdisguise\u201d as other \u201cmild\u201d diseases and, most importantly, appear at any age and irrevocably \u201cdestroy\u201d their eyesight.<\/p>\n

Imagine if you left your left eye accidentally, but with your right, everything is \u201clike a fog\u201d! Read on the Internet how to help yourself or call your friends, and they \u2014 do not worry, blink. While they were waiting, it seemed that the fog was really over. This is how periods of anxiety recur, but at first there is little concern. And he (the murderer) began his insidious business. And as a rule, in both eyes, even if the second does not bother! And age is not an obstacle \u2014 children are also susceptible to this disease \u2014 10% of children are blind from glaucoma.
<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/a>
Glaucoma is quite common in all countries \u2014 in 15% of cases of blindness, it is she who is the cause. This puts her in second place to the causes of incurable blindness!<\/p>\n

And all is why \u2014 because the human brain very well \u00abreplaces\u00bb the dips in the field of view, if they arise gradually, adapt, and only when 30-40% of the optic nerve the feeling of \u00abfog\u00bb begins. And all \u2014 hello, lost non-renewable!
<\/a> <\/p>\n

Glaucoma \u2014 what happens?<\/h2>\n

The term glaucoma goes back to 400 BC, the so-called Hippocrates. First, it needs to be distinguished from cataracts \u2014 it talked about it here: Cataract: it is waiting for you personally (if you live, of course)<\/a><\/p>\n

In Hippocratic works \u201cglaucosis\u201d (Greek \u201cbecome light blue\u201d) and \u201chypochyma\u201d (\u201cclouding lens and its transformation into a gel-like mass «) these diseases are synonymous. Their separation occurred after 1705 \u2014 glaucoma became an incurable disease, and hypochime (cataract) was treatable. Do not believe it, but nowadays a huge number of patients come to our clinic with a diagnosis of \u00abcataract\u00bb, but in fact glaucoma is to blame for this. So God forbid to get to the clinic to a doctor with the level of knowledge of Hippocrates!<\/p>\n

The cause of glaucoma is an increase in intraocular pressure as a result of disturbed outflow of intraocular fluid, its accumulation in the eye cavity and, as a result, atrophy of all intraocular structures and, most importantly, of the optic nerve. Specific atrophy, typical only for glaucoma, with the deflection of nerve fibers in the cranial cavity \u2014 the formation of an escalation-deepening. This is accompanied by losses in the peripheral visual field at the beginning, which are invisible to humans and the narrowing of the visual field to a \u201ctubular\u201d in a developed stage.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

This is what an escalation looks like \u2014 this is the part of the optic nerve that the doctor sees through the pupil in the eye cavity.<\/i><\/p>\n

Normally, intraocular pressure averages 15\u201322 mmHg. Art. But for each person, the rate indicator is individual and may be lower and higher than average values. With glaucoma, it can reach 80 mm Hg. Art. and more.<\/p>\n

How the eye drainage system works<\/h2>\n

In the eye, all structures are \u201cwashed\u201d by an intraocular fluid, which differs in composition from the blood \u2014 there are no red blood cells (red blood cells) in it and it looks transparent. It contains about 99% of water and a very small proportion of proteins, glucose, vitamins, hyaluronic acid, enzymes and trace elements. The composition and amount of moisture affects not only the life support of the avascular tissues of the eye, but also the stability of the level of intraocular pressure.<\/p>\n

The movement of fluid occurs with the direct participation of the lens and vitreous body: intraocular fluid is continuously produced by the processes of the ciliary body, accumulates in the posterior chamber, which is a slit-shaped space of complex configuration, located posterior to the iris. Then most of the moisture flows through the pupil, washing the lens, and then enters the anterior chamber and passes through the drainage system of the eye, located in the zone of the anterior chamber angle \u2014 the trabecula and Schlemm’s canal. From it the intraocular fluid flows through the outflowing collectors into the superficial veins of the sclera.<\/p>\n

Schematically it looks like this:<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

The front wall of the anterior chamber angle is formed at the junction of the cornea in the sclera, the back wall is formed by the iris, the front part of the ciliary body serves as the apex of the angle.<\/p>\n

That is, the aqueous humor (fluid inside the eye) seeps through the ring in the form of a grid with a multitude of slots and openings and collects into one main canal \u2014 the Schlemmish canal \u2014 0.3\u20130.5 mm in diameter, and then, after 25\u201330 thin tubules, goes to the outer veins.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\u0422Trabecular apparatus is a multi-layer, self-cleaning filter that provides one-sided movement of fluid from the anterior chamber to the external veins.<\/p>\n

The described path is the main one and 85-95% of the aqueous humor flows through it.<\/p>\n

The outflow of aqueous humor is disturbed for several reasons. They determine the type of glaucoma and the effective method of treatment for this type.<\/p>\n

With angle-closure glaucoma (only 20% of all cases), the iris closes the exit from the chamber of the eye, preventing the exit of fluid.<\/p>\n

In open-angle glaucoma (the remaining 80%), there is a violation in the capillaries themselves, into which the fluid must fall (blockage, compression).<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Glaucoma can appear as an independent disease \u2014 then it is called primary, and it can occur as a result of other diseases \u2014 then it is secondary. Secondary glaucoma appears after injuries (sometimes minor), falls, inflammations in the eye, while taking certain medications (for example, hormones), etc.<\/p>\n

What can say about glaucoma?<\/h2>\n

First, rainbow circles in front of light sources. The so-called \u00abhalo\u00bb effects. They appear due to corneal edema with increased intraocular pressure. <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Secondly, the appearance of \u00abturbid\u00bb spots in the lateral (peripheral) or central field of view is possible. \u00abMuddy\u00bb spots, or scotomas, are \u00abdropped\u00bb areas of the picture before the eyes. They may appear as dark or blurred dots and spots that do not disappear after blinking and remain permanently in the same place. A person begins to see worse first around the periphery of the visual fields.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Tunnel vision appears in advanced stages. It looks like a circular limitation of the field of view, as if you are looking through a sheet of paper rolled into a tube.<\/p>\n

Third, the redness of the eyes. In case of glaucoma, a grid of dilated red vessels may be clearly visible against the background of the white of the eye. Especially strongly it is visible with very high intraocular pressure or acute attack of glaucoma.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Fourth, the severity and pain in the eyeballs, sometimes until nausea and vomiting. Such manifestations in glaucoma are usually provoked by a strong pain syndrome.<\/p>\n

Fifth, there may be a feeling of dryness in the eyes and discomfort, increased tearing and photophobia.<\/p>\n

How not to blink glaucoma?<\/h2>\n

It is impossible to make a diagnosis on your own \u2014 the symptoms are very similar to other diseases.<\/p>\n

The initial glaucoma can be determined only by a competent specialist with sufficient equipment with modern diagnostic devices. How to find such a specialist \u2014 only in the eye centers, where they are engaged in glaucoma. City Clinic for this is suitable.<\/p>\n

A full examination requires a lot of time \u2014 sometimes up to 1-2 hours and a whole range of instruments, the results of which are evaluated together: visometry with and without correction, perimetry, biometrics, tonometry, tonography, gonioscopy, pachymetry, ophthalmoscopy, computed tomography of the optic nerve, fluometry, laser scanning topography.<\/p>\n

Here is such a big set of studies! And, very importantly, the eye is a paired organ, and it is necessary to examine both eyes at the same time, not because the ophthalmologists want to cash in on you, but for the accuracy of the diagnosis.<\/p>\n

And, last but not least, these examinations need to be repeated over time, both when glaucoma is suspected (to make a diagnosis), and for certain glaucoma (to determine the pressure of the \u201ctarget\u201d and control the progression of the disease).<\/p>\n

In our clinic, complex diagnostics in such a volume costs 7,500 rubles and takes about 1-1.5 hours. But it is definitely worth it, because late diagnosis and delayed prescribed treatment lead to irreversible consequences.<\/p>\n

What is \u201ctarget pressure\u201d?<\/h2>\n

As a person is not a serial sample, each has its own anatomical nuances and its own standard of intraocular pressure. For example, the smaller the thickness of the membranes of the eye (and this is more often in short-sighted people), the more likely the tissues and nerve endings wear out: a balloon withstands completely different pressure than a football. Therefore, the absolute values \u200b\u200bof intraocular pressure do not make sense, because we are all so unique that for one 15 mm Hg. Art. already a lot, but for another the rate of 25 mm Hg. Art.<\/p>\n

Intraocular pressure has an individual value for each person and is diagnosed in dynamics, in comparison with a healthy eye, in relation to the previous indicators.<\/p>\n

Who needs to be diagnosed right now?<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n