What Is Glaucoma?
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by: greenherbal
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Glaucoma occurs when the intraocular pressure exceeds the ability of the affected eye to tolerate it. This is as a result of aqueous humor, a clear fluid that is continually produced within the eye to bathe and nourish it. In a healthy eye, this fluid flows and drains out at the same rate. This maintains a steady pressure within the eye referred to as Intraocular Pressure (IOP). In patients with Glaucoma, the eye continues to produce the aqueous humor, but it is unable to drain at the normal rate. There is a higher prevalence of open-angle Glaucoma in relatives of Glaucoma patients. While the exact pattern of inheritance is not established, close relatives of Glaucoma patients have an increased risk of developing Glaucoma 5-6 times the general population. Apart from genetic inheritance, other factors that can predispose Glaucoma are Myopia, Diabetes Mellitus, Retinal Vein Occlusion, and Hypertension. Glaucoma develops at a different rate for every individual, meaning that one individual might experience nerve damage from a relatively low amount of pressure, while another individual might have noticeably higher pressure and yet be able to withstand it for years without developing any damage. There is several different types of glaucoma with the most common type being: primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). POAG is dubbed the "the sneak thief of sight" because it typically has no symptoms. When Glaucoma takes place there is an increased amount of fluid within the eyeball which will lead to loss of vision. The affected hamster will rub the eye and the eye may become so big that it prolepses from the socket. Glaucoma can be a result of rough handling, fighting or from being held too tightly from the scruff. Avoid holding the hamster from the scruff as this could cause your hamsters' eye/s a glaucoma. Hamsters naturally have big eyeballs to be able to spot predators and Glaucoma should not be misinterpreted by this. Glaucoma is a really nasty group of eye diseases which sneak up on us and rob us of our sight before we even know what has happened. The problem with Glaucoma is that it is not easy to detect it in its early stages and often when it is detected it has already done irreversible damage. If any damage has been done to the sight due to Glaucoma, it cannot be restored and any loss of vision is down to the optic nerve being damaged. Otherwise known as Acute Glaucoma, Angle Closure Glaucoma is rarer than Primary Open Angle Glaucoma and it happens a lot quicker too. People with ocular pressure, diabetes, and African American decent are three times more likely than others to develop Glaucoma. People that have a family history of Glaucoma have a six percent chance to develop the disease than people without a family history of it. The use of steroids has also been linked to the development of Glaucoma. Studies have also shown, in rare cases, that Glaucoma could be linked to hypertension (high blood pressure). Glaucoma is a serious problem that can lead to permanent damage to the eye. It is important that it is well-understood and that a number of techniques are available to treat it. Laser surgery is fast becoming a popular option for glaucoma treatment. The techniques are also becoming more and more advanced and refined to ensure that treatment results only in success and there is complete absence of discomfort during and after the treatment. |
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