by Dr. Alexander Taich, MD
While we commonly refer to glaucoma as a vision problem, it is actually a problem of drainage and pressure.
It leads to vision problems if not treated, eventually ending in a person going blind.
Think about not being able to see the face of your loved ones, or missing out on that favorite sports team’s big game or seeing the beauty of life that is all around us.
We can treat glaucoma as soon as it is detected. But that takes an effort on your part.
By having a regularly scheduled eye exam, we can detect glaucoma before if affects your vision.
Glaucoma causes a build-up of fluid pressure in the eye, and the tests we use during your exam can detect this increased pressure.
Once we detect a build-up in pressure, we can begin treatment, either with medicine, surgery or a combination of the two.
Why do we stress getting an eye exam regularly? Because vision lost by damage from glaucoma cannot be regained. The increase in pressure in the eye damages the optic nerve. This nerve connects the eyeball to the brain, and what we see travels to the brain via this conduit.
If it is damaged, the image seen by the eye cannot be transmitted to the brain. In essence you will have a blind spot in your vision. This normally happens first with peripheral vision, but will extend into your primary area of vision, if left untreated.
What symptoms should you look for?
There are no noticeable symptoms for glaucoma until the damage begins to occur.
As the disease progresses, you may notice a grey area at the edge of your peripheral vision, or it may seem that not all of what you see is clear.
As the disease progresses, these symptoms will become worse, as you slowly lose your vision.
We don’t want that to happen. There is medication and surgical treatments that can save your vision, but they must be started before this disease robs your sight.
I recommend a regular eye exam every two years, but you may need one more frequently if you:
• Have a family history of glaucoma or diabetes.
• Are very nearsighted.
• Are older than 60 or are African American and over 40.
See a doctor right away if you suddenly have blurry vision, experience severe eye pain or see rainbow-colored halos around lights. These are signs of a rare type of glaucoma that is a medical emergency.
ACMC ophthalmologist Alexander Taich, MD, sees patients at The Ashtabula Clinic, 2420 Lake Avenue, Ashtabula.
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