Is Glaucoma Curable
By: Mark MonteiroTotal Views: 442, Word Count: 527,
Glaucoma is a disorder of eye in which the optic nerve is damaged. The patients who suffer from this disorder commonly ask their doctor, is glaucoma curable? To find the answer, let us first focus on what glaucoma is.
Every human eye secretes a specific type of fluid which gives nutrition inside the eye. This fluid keeps coming out of the eye all the way through channels in the angle of our eye.
In a normal eye, the quantity of fluid produced balances out with the quantity of fluid flowing out of the eye. That helps to keep the intravenous pressure stable. In the case of glaucoma, these channels get blocked and the fluid gets collected in the eye. This increases pressure within the eye resulting in of the damage of the optic nerve.
This optic nerve carries the signals of light from the eye to the brain and makes vision possible. Glaucoma causes damage to the optic nerve leading to vision problems.
Types of Glaucoma
1. Primary open-angle glaucoma: This is a common form of glaucoma and is often painless. The patients normally stay completely unaware until the optic nerve damages badly.
2. Closed angle glaucoma: In this type, intraocular pressure increases rapidly due to blockage of fluid drainage. If this condition is not treated quickly, the patient can become blind.
Congenital glaucoma, Secondary glaucoma, Pigmentary glaucoma are the other types of glaucoma.
Glaucoma and its Curability
By knowing the actual mechanism of glaucoma, we can predict that basically it is non curable. It can be restricted. We can delay further damage of optic nerve to some extent.
This control can be continued through planned regular treatment as suggested by the ophthalmologist. As a result, curing of this disorder is a lifelong process.
· Medication
The chronic or open angle glaucoma can be controlled by the use of proper eye drops alone. You have to use these drops 2-4 times a day.
In case of advanced intraocular pressure, the patient is suggested to use more than one kind of eye drops.
· Laser Treatment
Laser treatment is very necessary for glaucoma treatment. This laser treatment is used to control pressure in open angle glaucoma.
· Surgery
When eye drops and /or laser treatment are not sufficient to organize the pressure, surgery is done to make different type of pathway for the fluid to drain outside the eye.
· Excimer Laser Trabeculotomy or ELT
ELT is an electrifying new advancement in the field for the treatment of open angle glaucoma. This new technique is basically a minor surgical process which overcomes more number of the routine surgery for glaucoma.
In this technique, a small laser probe is inserted into the angle of the eye. This probe is inserted at the point of blocked normal channels of the eye. After insertion of this probe, highly focused excimer laser is delivered in to eye. This permits the blocked eye fluid to flow through the normal drainage channels.
In ELT, no anesthesia is necessary. This technique’s post surgery period is very short and also safe as compared to normal surgery.
About the Author
Dr. Mark Monteiro is graduated from the Hazard University and done his MBA from the he University Of Illinois College Of Medicine. Currently he is working as general physician at Elmhurst Loyola Center for Health. For over 15 years he has been a pioneer in the field of physician health. He has contributed to the treatment of many diseases like- ASTHMA, TUBERCULOSIS, HIV, HEPATITIS AND ITS TREATMENT.
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