Glaucoma is a term used to refer to any of a set of diseases of the human eye that causes loss of vision to the person suffering from it. The disease usually affects a person's optic nerve, the main nerve that transmits messages both ways between the eye and the brain. The scary thing about glaucoma is that most people who have it do not know that they have it. There are different causes attributed to glaucoma. Initially it was believed that a high intra-ocular pressure (IOP) was what caused glaucoma. However, medical research and studies have showed that this is merely one of the causes. There are others as well.
If left untreated, glaucoma can lead to permanent blindness. However, while there is still no cure for it, glaucoma is not an incurable or untreatable disease. Detecting the disease early is a big plus, as it lets doctors work on means to limiting the loss of vision. While you may not exactly get back the vision you lost, you will certainly not lose any more of your eyesight with appropriate and timely medical intervention. The medicines are given to reduce the IOP and also ensure that the optic nerve stays free from damage. Surgery may be an option if the glaucoma is detected at a later stage. In most cases, it can be easily controlled with proper medication. Sometimes, a combination of medication and surgery is also used.
If left untreated, glaucoma can lead to permanent blindness. However, while there is still no cure for it, glaucoma is not an incurable or untreatable disease. Detecting the disease early is a big plus, as it lets doctors work on means to limiting the loss of vision. While you may not exactly get back the vision you lost, you will certainly not lose any more of your eyesight with appropriate and timely medical intervention. The medicines are given to reduce the IOP and also ensure that the optic nerve stays free from damage. Surgery may be an option if the glaucoma is detected at a later stage. In most cases, it can be easily controlled with proper medication. Sometimes, a combination of medication and surgery is also used.
