This disease has caused more than 5 million people in China to go blind! If you want to avoid it, remember these 5 points

When it comes to glaucoma

Many people think it is: old age disease, low incidence rate...

But in fact——

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world;

It is the leading cause of irreversible blindness;

There are currently more than 20 million glaucoma patients in our country;

More than 5 million people have been blinded;

Today, let’s talk about this silent eyesight killer.

-glaucoma!

1. Does swollen eyes mean glaucoma?

uncertain!

Dry eyes and visual fatigue may also cause the eyes to feel swollen.

In addition to eye swelling and pain, the diagnosis of glaucoma also requires:

(1) There are objective eye condition examinations as the basis for diagnosis, such as characteristic thinning of optic nerve fibers and visual field defects.

(2) Corneal thickness measurement, anterior chamber angle examination, slit lamp examination, fundus ophthalmoscopy, etc.

Glaucoma can only be diagnosed when subjective symptoms + objective diagnosis are consistent!

2. Why do people get glaucoma?

The exact cause of glaucoma is still unclear, but it is generally believed that:

Optic nerve damage caused by increased intraocular pressure is an important cause of blindness in glaucoma.

Different types of glaucoma have different causes.

(1) Primary open-angle glaucoma

Trabecular meshwork disease makes it difficult for the fluid in the eye - the "aqueous humor" to drain out, and it accumulates in the eye, thereby increasing the intraocular pressure.

(2) Primary angle-closure glaucoma

It is mostly caused by obstruction of the "anterior chamber angle" structure or close contact between the front surface of the lens and the iris, which leads to increased intraocular pressure.

(3) Developmental glaucoma

Abnormal development of the angle tissue of the eye during the embryonic and developmental periods.

3. What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

Different types of glaucoma have different symptoms.

(1) Primary open-angle glaucoma

There are almost no symptoms in the early stages. As the disease progresses, vision loss, headaches, eye swelling, and even constricted visual fields may occur.

(2) Primary angle-closure glaucoma

Most people may not have any symptoms, but there may be mild to severe symptoms such as eye swelling, headache, halo vision, and even nausea and vomiting.

(3) Congenital glaucoma

Infants and young children under 3 years old may have systemic symptoms such as fear of light, tearing, irritability, crying, poor appetite or vomiting; adolescents and children often have symptoms such as decreased vision.

If not treated promptly, as the disease progresses, the patient's field of vision will gradually narrow, and he may even become completely blind.

4. Who is prone to glaucoma?

(1) Patients with ocular hypertension

5%-10% of patients eventually develop primary open-angle glaucoma within 5-8 years

(2) Myopic people, especially those with high myopia of more than 600 degrees.

(3) Family history of glaucoma

(4) History of eye trauma, etc.

(5) Elderly people aged 60 and above

(6) People who take corticosteroids for a long time

5. How to prevent glaucoma?

The causes of glaucoma include age, family history, etc. What we can do is to do a good job of prevention and control to reduce the risk of disease.

like:

(1) Good sleep + regular exercise;

(2) Avoid working or entertaining in dark environments;

(3) Have regular eye examinations;

(4) Wear goggles when engaging in activities that may cause eye injuries, such as basketball, football, and other sports;

(5) Patients with diabetes and hypertension should actively treat their primary diseases.