World Glaucoma Week | Must-see! These 5 groups of people are at high risk of fertility eye diseases

Glaucoma, an irreversible blinding eye disease, is the name of a group of slowly progressive eye diseases associated with characteristic damage to the optic nerve at the back of the eye.

As of 2020, there are more than 22 million glaucoma patients in my country. Among them, the number of blind people can reach 5.67 million. It is understood that the prevalence of glaucoma in people over 40 years old is 2.6%, and the blindness rate is about 30%. Since glaucoma cannot be cured, regular review and long-term follow-up are required to prevent visual function damage. Therefore, who is the high-risk group for glaucoma has become the focus of people's attention.

What is intraocular pressure?

To understand glaucoma, you must first understand intraocular pressure. Intraocular pressure, also known as intraocular pressure, is caused by the pressure exerted on the eyeball wall by the three eye contents: aqueous humor, lens and vitreous body. Normal intraocular pressure is maintained at 10-21mmHg. The intraocular pressure of both eyes remains similar, with a difference of no more than 4-5mmHg. The fluctuation during the day and night is also relatively stable, with a range of no more than 8mmHg.

Why does high intraocular pressure cause glaucoma?

The stability of physiological intraocular pressure mainly depends on the dynamic balance between the production and discharge of aqueous humor.

When the production of aqueous humor increases or the drainage channel of aqueous humor is blocked, aqueous humor will gradually accumulate in the eye and the intraocular pressure will rise. When the intraocular pressure rises beyond the limit that the internal tissues of the eyeball, especially the optic nerve, can bear, it may cause glaucoma, resulting in typical glaucomatous optic atrophy and visual field defects, and finally leading to blindness. This is why increased intraocular pressure can cause glaucoma, and why glaucoma is highly concerned by ophthalmologists.

Can glaucoma be cured?

Glaucoma, like hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes and other diseases, is a lifelong disease. Once you are ill, you need lifelong treatment. Due to the irreversibility of the disease, the earlier the treatment of glaucoma is started, the better the effect.

Li Fuhua, director of Tianjin University Aier Eye Hospital, said that the current treatment method can only reduce intraocular pressure to the extent that vision and visual field are no longer damaged. In a sense, the extent to which intraocular pressure can be reduced to no longer damage visual function is different for each glaucoma patient. Therefore, patients need to receive standardized treatment and regular follow-up under the guidance of professional doctors to maintain ideal intraocular pressure and protect and maintain the original visual function.

Who is at high risk of glaucoma?

Glaucoma may occur in people of any age, from newborn babies to the elderly. According to epidemiological survey data on glaucoma, the following groups of people are prone to glaucoma.

1. Have a family history of glaucoma
2. Eye injury or diabetes, etc.
3. Those aged 35 or above who have not had an eye examination for a long time
4. Patients with high myopia or high hyperopia
5. Long-term use of corticosteroids