Glaucoma
EYE CARE DOCTOR
WHAT IS GLAUCOMA?
Glaucoma is normal or elevated eye pressure with evidence of nerve damage (nerve fiber layer loss or visual field loss).
How is glaucoma treated?
The aim is to lower intraoccular pressure by medical means if that doesn’t work then your ophthalmologist will look at surgical options. It is often treated with eyedrops for life or further damage will occur. You might need surgery if eye drops don’t work well or if you can’t tolerate them because of side effects.
My eye pressure is high does but I have normal blood pressure ?
This is potentially a sight threatening condition. Your ophthalmologist will examine you and run specialised tests to decide if you have high ocular tension with no damage or if you have Glaucoma.
Can glaucoma make me blind?
It’s a second cause of irreversible painless visual loss after cataracts so it is a very serious condition
HOW MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF GLAUCOMA are there?
Open angle
This form of glaucoma is common in pigmented eyes in black, Afro-Caribbean and Indian patients. Other risk factors are myopia (shortsightedness and advanced age).
Rubeotic
This is seen when there is a problem with the blood supply or oxygenation of the retina in diabetes or after the eye has had a stroke.
Low tension Glaucoma
These patients often run low blood pressure naturally or they have high blood pressure which is over treated. Their eye pressureIintraocular pressure) is not high buy they demonstrate evidence of glaucomatous damage. It is more common in ladies of slight built of advanced age.
Narrow angle
This is seen in advanced age in patients with crowding where the iris is close to the cornea and interfere with eye pressure.
Peudoexfoliative
This type of glaucoma has a genetic predisposition where dandruff like material forms on the front layer of the lens, the brain and heart.
Secondary
After previous eye surgery like a vitrectomy.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
It is normal for optic nerve diseases to struggle with dark light adaptation. It takes longer than usual.
Eye Specialist & Opthalamic Surgeon
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Dr Sineziwe Mulonga is an Ophthalmologist, a specialist eye surgeon for treatment of medical eye conditions, specialising in surgical and medical retina.
We pride ourselves in providing you with a professional environment and we aim to please all our patients
