What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is actually a group of diseases that are quite common and ranks second among the causes of blindness worldwide. Glaucoma is a progressive and irreversible damage to the optic nerve that occurs with high intraocular pressure, ultimately leading to blindness. Another, less common type of glaucoma can occur even with normal intraocular pressure. Additionally, glaucoma can manifest in different forms due to various eye and systemic diseases.

What are these diseases?

Firstly, glaucoma can occur as a result of high myopia, eye inflammations, eye injuries, and post-eye surgeries. It can also develop in conjunction with migraines, in advanced stages of diabetes, and due to systemic hypertension causing bleeding in the eyes.

Does glaucoma only occur in older people?

The most commonly seen form, open-angle glaucoma, usually appears after the age of 45. However, when looking at the patients followed in glaucoma clinics in general, we can see that it encompasses different age groups, from newborn babies to the elderly. Congenital glaucoma, which occurs in infancy as a congenital condition, can be observed in Turkey more frequently due to the prevalence of consanguineous marriages.

What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

In a significant portion of open-angle glaucoma cases, which is the most common type, there are no symptoms initially, and the disease progresses silently. Typically, visual field defects begin to occur before significant loss of visual acuity, and there are no significant signs perceivable by the patient. In angle-closure glaucoma, however, the condition can present more severely. Symptoms such as severe headache, decreased visual acuity, redness in the eyes, and even nausea and vomiting can occur. In the case of congenital glaucoma observed in infants, the eyes are larger than normal. There is opacity in the transparent part of the eye called the cornea, and the babies cannot tolerate light.

If there are no symptoms, how is glaucoma diagnosed?

Glaucoma is usually diagnosed during an eye examination. Since genetic predisposition is crucial in this disease, individuals with a family history of glaucoma should be more vigilant and undergo routine eye check-ups. The first step in diagnosis involves measuring the patient’s eye pressure and analyzing it based on corneal thickness. The use of instruments that measure intraocular pressure independent of corneal thickness is an important advantage. Evaluation of the anterior chamber angle, retina, and optic disc is also necessary. Tests such as visual field examinations, analysis of the retinal nerve fiber layer and optic disc, help detect and diagnose glaucoma-related damage.

Can you provide information about laser treatment for glaucoma?

The treatment of glaucoma varies depending on the type, stage, the patient’s overall health, and their adherence to treatment. Initially, medical treatment is administered. If the desired results cannot be achieved with medical treatment, laser or surgical interventions are considered. In advanced glaucoma patients who do not respond well to these treatments, we can also perform special laser techniques called “Endoscopic Cyclophotocoagulation,” which aims to destroy the cells that produce fluid inside the eye. The biggest advantage here is the relief of patient’s pain symptoms, preservation of existing visual acuity, and assistance to patients in cases where new surgical procedures are difficult