Early detection and early treatment! You should know these "glaucoma" knowledge!

Glaucoma is a very harmful eye disease, and its damage to vision is usually irreversible. Therefore, early detection and early treatment are the key to saving the vision of glaucoma patients. Regarding glaucoma, these facts must be remembered.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of diseases characterized by optic disc atrophy and depression, visual field loss and decreased vision. Pathological increase in intraocular pressure is the main primary risk factor for glaucoma. There are three main methods for treating glaucoma: drugs, laser and surgery.

Can glaucoma be prevented?

Generally speaking, glaucoma cannot be prevented, but the development of more than 60% to 70% of glaucoma is very slow. Therefore, early detection and reasonable treatment are particularly important for the restoration and maintenance of visual function in glaucoma patients.

Since the treatment of glaucoma is highly individualized, if you want to detect glaucoma as early as possible, you need to see a doctor regularly, observe intraocular pressure under the guidance of a doctor, and check whether the optic nerve is damaged. If you find symptoms of early glaucoma, you should take medication or surgery as soon as possible.

What should glaucoma patients pay attention to in their daily lives?

1. Regular review

Since the treatment of glaucoma is a chronic disease management, patients should follow the doctor's advice and go to the hospital for regular check-ups.

2. Appropriate aerobic exercise

Yoga and heavy-weight anaerobic exercise can easily increase intraocular pressure, so glaucoma patients should try to avoid them. However, proper aerobic exercise can promote blood circulation, reduce intraocular pressure, and help treat glaucoma patients.

3. Avoid playing wind instruments

Playing wind musical instruments can easily increase intraocular pressure. If glaucoma patients have a hobby of playing wind musical instruments, they should try to avoid it.

4. Avoid looking at objects closely for a long time in dim light

Looking at close objects for a long time in a dimly lit environment can easily cause pupil dilation and increased intraocular pressure, which can lead to worsening of the condition.

5. Drink water in small amounts and multiple times

It is best for glaucoma patients not to drink more than 100 ml of water at a time, otherwise it is easy to increase intraocular pressure, which is not conducive to the treatment of patients. Experts recommend that glaucoma patients drink water in small amounts and multiple times to avoid increasing intraocular pressure.

Expert interviewed: Wu Huijuan, chief ophthalmologist at Peking University People's Hospital