Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness when left untreated. Millions in India suffer from this condition every single year. So what is Glaucoma? 

Glaucoma is a disease that affects the optic nerve. This is precisely the nerve that carries information from the eye to the brain, and hence severe damage to it leads to blindness. 

Types of Glaucoma:

1. Open-angle glaucoma: This is the most common form of the disease. It takes place when the clear fluid that is present inside the front of the eye passes freely through an anatomical structure, called the angle, and it begins to drain slowly further on. This increases eye pressure and damages the optic nerve.
2. Closed-angle glaucoma: This type of Glaucoma causes severe eye pain, nausea, seeing halos around lights, and very blurry vision. Here the angle structure in the front of the eyes is narrowed down or closed.
3. Normal-tension glaucoma: This condition is wide spread among East Asians. In this case, the eye pressure usually remains normal but damage to the optic nerve continues to take place. 

There aren’t very noticeable symptoms in the early stages of Glaucoma. Once the disease progresses it begins to affect the central vision which is very important for tasks like reading, watching TV, or working on the computer.

The best eye specialists in Goa insist on proper self-care steps to be taken in order to detect this condition early. This will help to prevent vision loss and slow down the progress of the disease.

Preventive measures for Glaucoma:

• Get regular dilated eye examinations: Prominent Ophthalmologists in Goa recommend regular eye check-ups as per the ages mentioned in the chart below.

• Age 6 months
• Age 3
• Age 5 or 6 – before joining the school and every two years after that
• Age 18 to 40 – at least every two years
• Age 41 and older – at least every year
• In case of elderly – at least every year or in case of any eye-related issues

• Family history of eye health: If any of your family members have suffered from Glaucoma, it is likely that you could have it as this disease runs in the family. Make sure to get yourself checked often.

• Exercise: Regular exercise helps in preventing Glaucoma. Your eye doctor will recommend the necessary exercise that will help reduce the chances of this disease.

• Eyedrops: Your ophthalmologist will prescribe certain eye drops that have to be used regularly to reduce the risk of high eye pressure. 

One of the most prominent eye hospitals in Mapusa Goa offers complete and specialized eye care for the people of Goa. This multi-speciality hospital in Goa, with a team of super specialists, has great expertise in treating Eye pressure checking (Applanation Tonometer), Perimetry, Shunt and implants, Medical and Surgical Management of Glaucoma.

Conditions that put one in a high-risk category of developing Glaucoma:

1. Family history of glaucoma
2. Age
3. High eye pressure
4. Being farsighted or near-sighted
5. Suffering an eye injury
6. Thin corneas
7. Thinning of the optic nerve
8. Other health conditions like diabetes, poor blood circulation, and migraines

Also Read: Why Everybody Should Regularly Go for Eye Check Up

If you are in the above categories and have a high risk of contracting it, make sure to get in touch with your eye specialist as soon as possible.