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Glaucoma
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Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that gradually
steal sight without warning. Although the most common forms primarily affect the
middle-aged and the elderly, glaucoma can affect people of all ages.
There are more than 4.2 million U.S. adults who have
glaucoma, but only half know it, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness in the world, and accounts for
12 percent of blindness in the United States. |
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“The best defense against
glaucoma is early detection”, advises Dr. Ronald Frenkel, Glaucoma and
Macular Disease specialist in Stuart.
“Knowing you have glaucoma is one of the most important
factors in preventing vision loss”, says Frenkel. “So many people are losing
their sight and simply do not realize it. Glaucoma is a treatable disease.
Vision loss can be minimized. Those who are potentially at risk must take the
first step and get an eye exam”. Those at high risk for glaucoma include:
African-Americans older than 40, Hispanics, people with a family history of
glaucoma, anybody older than 60, those with adverse health conditions, such as
diabetes, those who have experienced a serious eye injury and those who are
severely nearsighted.
Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve. When
damage to the optic nerve fibers occurs, blind spots develop in the
peripheral/side vision but usually go undetected until the optic nerve is
significantly damaged. Clear liquid called aqueous humor circulates inside the
front portion of the eye. To maintain a healthy level of pressure within
the eye, a small amount of aqueous humor is produced constantly, while an equal
amount flows out of the eye through a microscopic drainage system—the trabecular
meshwork. With glaucoma, aqueous humor does not flow through the trabecular
meshwork properly. Over time, eye pressure increases, damaging the optic
nerve fibers.
While there are over 50 identified types of glaucoma, the
two main categories are open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma.
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Open-angle glaucoma
In Open-angle glaucoma the trabecular meshwork becomes less efficient at
draining aqueous humor. Intraocular pressure (IOP) builds up, which leads
to damage of the optic nerve. Damage to the optic nerve occurs at
different eye pressures among different patients. Typically, glaucoma has
no symptoms in its early stages. |
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Closed-angle glaucoma
In Closed-angle glaucoma the drainage angle of trabecular meshwork becomes blocked by the iris (the colored part of the eye). IOP builds up very quickly. Symptoms include severe eye or brow pain, redness of the eye, decreased or blurred vision. This tye of glaucoma must be treated as a medical emergency—see your eye doctor immediately if you have these symptoms. |
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Glaucoma Treatment at East Florida Eye Institute includes the most advanced procedures available.
See our treatment options for Glaucoma on our Advanced Treatment page.
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