Glaucoma is asymptomatic until the late stages, when optic nerve atrophy begins. Therefore, it is important to be examined regularly to detect the disease from the very beginning. Ilmira Gazizova, Head of the Ophthalmology Department of the Institute of Human Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a member of the European Glaucoma Association’s Committee for Cooperation with European Countries, told socialbites.ca.
“Glaucoma does not give any complaints in its initial stages. That’s what makes it scary. The person does not feel the increase in intraocular pressure. Pain does not occur. The only thing that can happen is a minor inconvenience. Sometimes patients come to us with complaints that reading becomes difficult or tears appear. We examine them and find glaucoma. But unfortunately there are no specific symptoms of glaucoma,” he said.
Gazizova added that the narrowing of the field of vision, characteristic of glaucoma, is already observed in the later stages. It occurs as a result of atrophy of the optic nerve. And if it has arrived, the vision cannot be returned.
“Another problem is that patients realize this deterioration too late. Up to a certain point, the second eye compensates for the field of view. In general, glaucoma is the most insidious disease, ”Ghazizova emphasized.
Therefore, with the instruction of the Ministry of Health on clinical examination and active detection of glaucoma, it is imperative that all patients after 40 years of age have intraocular pressure measurement and specifically examined for glaucoma, so that ophthalmologists can diagnose the disease at the very beginning, even without being sick. complaints.
Read more about who is at risk for glaucoma and how vision loss can be prevented with it – in material “socialbites.ca”.