Hidden glaucoma. Features of the disease

Glaucoma is a serious eye disease that can cause blindness. It is manifested by increased intraocular pressure. The disease is most often manifested after 40 - 50 years, there is also a hereditary predisposition. The onset of the disease can occur in such a way that the patient usually does not even know about the presence of latent glaucoma. The symptomatic picture can be quite obscure and have a number of signs characteristic of a variety of other diseases( migraine, sinusitis, etc.)

Characteristic signs and manifestation of glaucoma

There are two forms of manifestation of glaucoma:

1. An open angle form in which the disease progresses slowly. This form is most common. It is accompanied by a gradual loss of peripheral vision.
2. Closed-angle form when the disease develops rapidly and sharply, accompanied by pain syndrome, nausea and vomiting, severe visual impairment. It is marked by the appearance of iridescent halos around the light source, blurring the vision.

There are symptoms that are characteristic of eye diseases in general, but some signs should be sure to alert. This is:

• blurred vision, which can occur intermittently. The duration of such fogging can be from a few minutes to an hour or more. Occurs due to corneal edema at the time of increased intraocular pressure.
• the appearance of rainbow circles around the light sources. To differentiate other eye diseases, you need to know that with conjunctivitis these iridescent haloes disappear after removing fluid and mucus from the eye, with lens diseases such circles are constantly present.
• headache. When migraine pain is very similar in nature. With latent glaucoma, the headache appears in the temporal region, on the side of the diseased eye, the pulsating and spasmodic nature of the eye is noted.
• "flickering flies" before your eyes.

Symptoms characteristic of latent glaucoma:

• Lachrymation.
• Imaginary( apparent) moisturizing of the eye. It seems that the eye is filled with a tear, but if you attach a handkerchief to the eye, you can see that the eye remains dry.

The causes of the appearance of glaucoma:

• use of certain groups of medicines. In bronchial asthma, the risk of concealed glaucoma increases with steroid use in the form of inhalers;
• hereditary factor;
• diabetes mellitus, myopia and other concomitant diseases;
• cataract;
• trauma to the head, organs of vision and their consequences.

Diagnosis of the disease by examining the eyes with the help of measuring eye pressure, examining the fundus, the use of special instruments( tonometry, ophthalmoscopy, etc.)

Treatment of glaucoma

The course of this disease is usually chronic, it is possible only to control medications or adjust surgically. In this therapy is necessary throughout life. The most common method of treatment is surgery.

When choosing a drug treatment option, eye drops are usually used, whose action is aimed at reducing the production and increase in the outflow of intraocular fluid, the narrowing of the pupil.

If the therapy is carried out with the help of tablets, it should be noted that this way of using drugs is less common, as it causes disorders of the digestive tract, has side effects, etc. Also it is necessary to remember about obligatory and regular examination at the ophthalmologist.

The surgical method of treatment is most often more common and effective, but there is a risk of the likelihood of complications. The occurrence of cataracts can be a consequence of this method of treatment, when another operation may be required.

Also, an operative method may be required when the patient is contraindicated because of the presence of other concomitant serious diseases( hypertension, heart disease and blood vessels).Such patients are few, not more than 10%.

With the help of laser surgery, the eye pressure decreases, the way for the outflow of intraocular fluid opens.

Prevention of the onset of the disease

It is necessary to know that patients with high intraocular pressure, even without obvious signs of disease, increase the risk of developing latent glaucoma. Therefore, regular examination and implementation of the recommendations of an ophthalmologist will help in the early diagnosis and treatment of the disease. After 45 years, prophylactic examinations are needed every two years, especially if the person is at risk( heredity, concomitant diseases).