World Glaucoma Week | Beware of the “silent thief of vision”!

March 9-15, 2025 is the 18th "World Glaucoma Week". As an irreversible blinding eye disease, glaucoma is highly hidden and has a high blindness rate. We call for scientific understanding, early detection and early treatment, so that the light will no longer "pass away quietly"!

1. What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of diseases characterized by characteristic optic nerve atrophy and visual field loss. Its main causes include increased intraocular pressure, aqueous humor circulation disorders, abnormal eye structure, genetic factors and acquired factors.

2. What are the typical symptoms of glaucoma?

There are often no obvious symptoms in the early stages of glaucoma, and by the time it is discovered, it is already in the middle or late stages. If you experience symptoms such as blurred vision, headache, nausea and vomiting, eye pain, red eyes, or obvious enlargement of the eyeball in infants and young children, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Three major misunderstandings about glaucoma

Good vision does not mean no glaucoma! (In the early stage of open-angle glaucoma, central vision is not impaired, but peripheral vision is already impaired!)

Normal intraocular pressure ≠ safety! (Some glaucoma patients have normal intraocular pressure, which needs to be judged in combination with the thickness of the optic nerve!)

Surgery is not a one-time solution! (Lifelong follow-up is required to adjust the target intraocular pressure!)

3. Who should be wary of glaucoma?

Eye structure factors

People with shallow anterior chamber, short axial length, thick lens, short corneal diameter, etc. will have narrow anterior chamber angle, impaired aqueous humor outflow, increased intraocular pressure, and eventually glaucoma.

Genetic factors

Director Li Fuhua of Tianjin University Aier Eye Hospital said that glaucoma has a certain genetic tendency. If there is a history of glaucoma in the family, other family members should go to a professional ophthalmology hospital for examination as soon as possible, and take the initiative to tell the doctor that they have a family history of glaucoma. At the same time, they should pay attention to changes in intraocular pressure, optic nerve and visual field, and follow up regularly to avoid irreversible visual function damage.

Refractive factors

Patients with refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia), especially those with high myopia or high hyperopia, have a higher incidence of glaucoma.

Bad living habits

Factors include patients with "three highs", smoking and drinking, irregular living habits, using eyes in dark environments, irregular diet, mood swings, habitual constipation, long-term use of hormone drugs, etc.

Reminder again: For people with a family history of glaucoma and people over 40 years old, they should have regular eye health checks, maintain a regular lifestyle and diet, get moderate physical exercise, avoid strenuous exercise, maintain good sleep quality, eat a light and nutritious diet, avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, strong tea and coffee, and control water intake appropriately.