It Slowly Causes Blindness And You Don’t Know You Have It

There are presently about three million Americans who suffer from Glaucoma in one form or another, and it remains among one of the preeminent causes of blindness worldwide. In fact, says an expert eye doctor schaumburg il residents that are affected are probably not even aware of their plight because there are very little visible indications. This degenerative eye disease has affected more than six million people all over the world. It has also left a large majority sightless in one or both eyes. It first renders partial blindness, which can lead up to total blindness if not detected and treated. 

How Glaucoma Robs Our Sight 

The optic nerve is one of the most important components that allow the transition of signals between the eye and the brain. It is the major nerve in our eyes which receive light generated nerve impulses, which originate from the retina. The optic nerve does the job of transmitting signals to the brain allowing us to recognize through visualization. These electrical indications received are what we recognize as vision. 

Glaucoma is a disease that affects the optic nerve, limiting the transition of messages between the eyes and the brain. It is the accumulation of fluid behind the eyes that leads to partial or total loss of vision. Optometrists say, it can be tricky to initially detect and identify because it could, but not always, be associated with intraocular pressure. This is a condition where fluid buildup in the eye is at an increased pressure within. This pressure causes damage to the optic nerve. When a pattern of progressive damage to the optic nerve is accompanied by a slight loss of peripheral vision, glaucoma could be the culprit. If not detected and treated, it will likely lead to central vision loss, as well as blindness. 

Getting A Diagnosis And Treatment 

Glaucoma typically does not have any symptoms at the onset. it takes a while for any physical manifestations to be felt, or noticed by an individual who is suffering. The problem is that it’s usually too late for the patient to get proper treatment or at least maintenance once impairment is apparent. There is no cure, however, if caught early, there are ways to stave off any more damage. 

Regular eye examinations are the only silver lining to this degenerative eye condition. Only when a person gets routine eye exams are they able to fight off the onset of glaucoma. It’s especially important for those predisposed to the disease to get examined. There are particular heritages and ancestry who are more prone to the blinding eye disease than others. Those of African descent as well as Asians have been seen to be more prone to glaucoma. Even though vision impairment and damage to nerves stemming from glaucoma is not reversed, patients can use eye drop medications to normalize the flow of fluid, and lessen the intraocular pressure in the eye. 

For decades, people have also been looking into supplementary and alternative remedies to help preserve and maintain eyesight. Aside from leading a healthy lifestyle, being more vigilant about what we put into our bodies can’t hurt. Each one of us are made up differently on a genetic and biological level, hence, alternative therapies have not been proven to bring relief from Glaucoma, but it’s still important for our overall wellness.