Dr. Paul Mathew

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in people across the globe. It damages the optic nerve that carries sensory images from the retina to the brain. A faulty eye pressure is responsible for damaging the very delicate optic nerve fiber causing small blind spots in the retina. Unfortunately, for most patients this disease only gets diagnosed when the number of blind spots is on the higher side.

Types of Glaucoma

1. Open angle: This is a type of Glaucoma which results from the blockage of the drainage angle of the eye resulting into an increased eye pressure.
2. Angle closure: This is the kind of Glaucoma which results from the narrowing down of the drainage angle leading to complete blockage.

Target segment of Glaucoma

1. Family history: Inheritance surely plays a role in case of Glaucoma too. If Glaucoma runs through families of an individual, there are higher chances of getting this disease. Although there is no hard and fast rule about it, the risks of inheriting this disease are on the higher side.
2. Eye injury: If there is any history of previous eye injuries, the probability of the onset of Glaucoma cannot be turned down. Specially, if the injury is related to optic nerve, there are very high risks involved.
3. Bilateral Oophorectomy: Dual Ovary removal before the age of 40 results in deficiency of estrogen resulting in Glaucoma. Although most surgeons warn their patients of the possible risk of these procedures, many surgeries such as these have resulted in patients losing eyesight in the form of Glaucoma.
4. Patient with Diabetes: In case of acute diabetes, retina gets damaged and the eye starts producing new blood vessels on the iris resulting into an increased eye pressure. This condition often leads to Glaucoma due to blockage of fluid flow in the eye.
5. Eye Conditions: Myopia, multiple surgeries to the eye, blunt trauma etc. can lead to Glaucoma. A patient who has undergone any kind of eye surgeries suffers from inflammation. However, major inflammation is often found twisting blood flow in the eye resulting into Glaucoma.
6. If a patient is 40 or above: After a person reaches 40 years of age, a lot of diseases start cropping in to the body. Studies show that Glaucoma has a higher frequency in people who is more than the age of 40 or above.
7. High eye pressure: A patient with an eye pressure of above 21 mm HG is also at a very high risk of getting glaucoma. For a normal person the IOP lies between 10 to 21 mm HG.
8. Blood flow related disease: Diseases such as acute migraine, hypertension and low blood pressure which involves blood flow related problem often aggravate to glaucoma.
9. Ethnic Background: Statistics show that people from Afro American, Hispanics, Asian and Caribbean background have greater chances of being affected by Glaucoma.

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Even something as small as an eyeball, has multiple parts within it. The retina at the back of the eyeball is responsible for the clarity of vision. The central area of the retina is known as the macula. Macular degeneration is the deterioration of this part of the retina. Macular degeneration is age related and is considered as an incurable condition. People suffering from macular degeneration experience blurred vision, black spots and may eventually lose central vision while retaining peripheral vision.

There are two types of macular degeneration; wet and dry. The dry form of this disease is more common than its wet form. Of these, the latter causes more serious vision loss. Dry macular degeneration leads to white or yellow deposits on the retina leading to further degeneration. In the wet form of this disease, blood vessels beneath the retina start growing towards the macula and may pull it away from the base when they break or leak fluid.

There are three stages of age related macular degeneration (AMD):

1. Early AMD: This is diagnosed by the presence of deposits on the retina. In most cases, ether is no vision loss at this stage but regular check-ups are essential.
2. Intermediate AMD: A comprehensive eye exam will show the presence of larger deposits or pigment changes in the retina. At this stage, slight vision loss may be experienced.
3. Late AMD: People suffering from late AMD have noticeable vision loss. Though this disease is linked to aging, the exact triggers for macular degeneration are unknown. It is understood to be a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. The presence of certain genes and their variants has been associated with a number of cases of this disease. Studies also show that caucasians are at the highest risk of suffering from this disease. Depriving cells in the retina of oxygen can also increase a person's risk of contracting this disease. Other risk factors for this disease are obesity, smoking, high blood pressure and a light eye colour. The side effects of certain drugs can also induce this condition.

Macular degeneration is considered to be incurable, but certain forms of treatment can improve vision and slow down the rate of deterioration. Treatment prescribed by a doctor depends on stage of the disease and whether it is wet or dry. Studies suggest that a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids can prevent AMD and lower the risk of its progression.