Glaucoma is a disease which surfaces as a result of the increased eye pressure causing damage to the visual nerves. As in general the patient has no complaints in the initial stages of the illness the visual nerve is worn over time, and by the time the patient has come to realise this, it can be past the stage where it can be repaired. Therefore, how important early diagnosis is in glaucoma is very, and early diagnosis requires examminations and inspections of the visual field by the required persons.
The ophthalmologist will measure the eye pressure during the eye examination and assess the visual nerve. An eye pressure of between 10-20 mmHg is accepted as being normal.
Values of 20 mmHg and higher are considered as being suspicious cases in respect of glaucoma. Following the determination oh high eye pressure, if damage is also detected to the visual nerve as a result of the examination of the visual filed, this will be considered as glaucoma. Each ey emay respond differently to eye pressure. Eye pressure values which are above normal will be monitored only in respect of suspicions of glauocoma or ocular hypertension. Damage to the visual nerve is revealed via a computerised examination of the visual field.
On the other hand, damage to vision can also be detected in patients whose eye pressure is at normal values, and this is known as glauocoma at normal levels of pressure. As a result, as it cannot be determined what pressure will lead to damage in who, eye pressure is a personal factor, and should be assessed as such.
When glaucoma is diagnosed it should be treated as a disease which will continue throughout the life of the patient. Unless there is an emergency, the initial treatment of glaucoma performed using eye drops. Eye medication either reduces the production of liquids or increases their ejection from the body, thus lowering eye pressure. Controls are required every 3 to 6 months, and examinations of the visual field are required every 6 to 12 months. Should the damage to vision increase despite medicinal treatment, additional medicinal treatment will also be started.