Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that are characterized by pressure that is too high for the optic nerve to withstand. The optic nerve is crucial in sight, as it is the nerve that sends all of the images created by the eye to the brain. Given its criminality, damage to the nerve from glaucoma results first the loss of peripheral vision, and then central vision. Glaucoma can be treated in many different fashions with medication and often time’s surgery is required to stop it from completely damaging the optic nerve. The symptoms or signs of glaucoma vary depending on the type of degenerative eye condition. The first of two major classes of glaucoma is primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), the most common subtype of glaucoma. This type of degenerative eye condition develops slowly without initial pain. In fact, Primary open-angle glaucoma is hard to detect without an special eye examination, because there is no early warning signs. POAG can progressively destroy your vision without warning. The first sign may occur after the affected person has experienced some degree of vision has already been loss. Symptoms might not show up until it is in the advanced stages and is irreversible. This causes the optic disk to be damaged. People should get regular eye exams especially after the age of 40. In the later stages of Glaucoma there is a loss of peripheral or side vision capability. Blurred vision, blind spots, and halos around lights may occur. Poor night vision is also a late stage symptom of Glaucoma. Left untreated blindness could occur. Typical treatment includes medicated eye drops and pills that are often effective in reducing the pressure in the eye. Laser trabeculoplasty or trabeculectomy are two surgical procedures that might be done to relieve the pressure and drain the fluid from the eye. The fluid in the eye is called aqueous humor and drains out of the eye through a network of drainage tissue between the iris and the cornea. In people with glaucoma this drainage tissue becomes blocked and fluid is replaced faster that it can be drained. This caused pressure to build up in the eye causing the blood vessels that nourish the eye with essential nutrients and oxygen to become constricted which cause the nerve fibers to die. When left untreated, any form of glaucoma will lead to permanent damage of these optic nerves which will in turn lead to blindness. Typically this starts with a minor loss of peripheral vision but can lead to permanent cloudiness of vision. Main symptoms experienced by the patient are- blurring of vision, difficulty in doing the near work like reading, writing etc, the need to change the glasses frequently, the changes in the field of vision. This type of glaucoma would have usually damaged one eye and the process of damage would have started in the other eye also. The delay is also partially due to the fact that the central area of vision is preserved until the end stage of the disease. Because of all these reasons this type of glaucoma has to be diagnosed as early as possible. But it is thought that there is some sort of blockage at the site where the aqueous liquid is absorbed to the blood.
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