What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is when your optic nerve is damaged and worsens over time. It happens when there is a lot of pressure generated inside your eyes.
People over 60 are the ones who are prone to Glaucoma symptoms. It mostly runs in families. You develop it until much later in life. However, it can be resolved with Glaucoma treatment.
The optic nerve, responsible for image transmission to the brain, can be harmed by increasing Intraocular pressure in your eye. Glaucoma can result in total blindness or irreversible vision loss within a few years if the condition persists.
Most Glaucoma sufferers don’t experience any pain or early Glaucoma symptoms. Regular eye exams will enable your eye doctor to detect and treat Glaucoma before it causes long-term vision loss.
It is unthinkable to regain vision once it has been lost. But reducing eye pressure can help you maintain your current level of vision.
Most patients with Glaucoma symptoms adhere to their medication schedule and receive frequent eye exams that can support their vision.
Now let’s see the explanation of what causes Glaucoma.
Your eye is always amusing itself with water. The amount of aqueous that enters your eye should match the amount that leaves.
The drainage angle is the location where the fluid exits. This procedure maintains eye pressure (called Intraocular pressure or IOP), when higher than normal it is defined as Ocular Hypertension.
Ocular Hypertension should not be a concept of disease on its own. Instead, “Ocular Hypertension” talks about people who should be watched more closely than the average person for Glaucoma symptoms.
A person with Ocular Hypertension is also called a “Glaucoma suspect.” This means that the eye doctor suspects that the person may already have Glaucoma or will get it soon because of the pressure in their eyes. An eye exam could show damage to the optic nerve caused by Glaucoma.
However, fluid accumulates if the drainage angle is not functioning correctly, resulting in increased eye pressure. As the pressure inside the eye increases, the optic nerve is harmed.
Risk factors for Glaucoma Symptoms
Young adults, kids, and even infants can have it, but individuals over 40 are most commonly affected. African Americans are more prone to developing it earlier in life and with more vision loss.
You’re more prone to the disease if you have these Glaucoma symptoms:
- Glaucoma runs in your family history
- If you are over 40
- If you are near or farsighted
- Have trouble seeing
- Possess Diabetes
- Ingest a few steroid medicines, like Prednisone
- Take certain medications to regulate your bladder, seizures, or over-the-counter cold medications
- Have you had damage to your eye or eyes
- Have higher-than-normal blood pressure, heart disease, Diabetes, or sickle cell Anaemia
- Have thinner-than-normal corneas
- Ocular Hypertension
Types of Glaucoma
There are two main types of Glaucoma:
Open-angle Glaucoma
The predominant kind is this one. Wide-angle Glaucoma may also be the term used by your doctor. Your eye’s trabecular meshwork, which functions as a drain, appears in good shape, yet fluid doesn’t drain as it should.
Angle-closure Glaucoma
In Asia, this is more typical. Narrow-angle Glaucoma is another name for acute, chronic, or angle-closure Glaucoma. The drain area between your iris and cornea becomes too small, which prevents your eye from draining as it should.
Your eye pressure may suddenly increase as a result of this. Additionally, it relates to Cataracts, a clouding of the eye’s lens, and farsightedness.
Let’s know the symptoms of Glaucoma
The majority of those who have Open-angle Glaucoma exhibit no symptoms. The onset of Glaucoma symptoms is typically late in the course of the illness.
The main Glaucoma symptom is usually a loss of sight, or peripheral vision, which is why it is frequently cited as the “sneak thief of vision.” Also, some patients may experience blind spots due to high IOP.
Angle-closure glaucoma symptoms typically appear sooner and are more pronounced. Damage may occur suddenly. Seek immediate medical advice from your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms of Glaucoma:
- Observing haloes surrounding lights
- Loss of vision
- Your eye is red
- Hazy-looking eye (particularly in infants)
- Stomach pain or vomiting
- Eye pain
Medical Uses of Bimatoprost
Bimatoprost includes Benzalkonium Chloride, which soft contact lenses can absorb. It is generally employed to treat excessive ocular pressure. It decreases excessive fluid from the eyes (aqueous humor) and decreases Intraocular pressure.
Let’s say that elevated stress can cause Glaucoma. Additionally, losing sight is possible if the pressure is too severe. Only the diseased eye should receive Bimatoprost; avoid contact with the healthy eye.
Bimatoprost mostly comes in eye drops which are used for the treatment of Glaucoma symptoms. These eye drops for Glaucoma treatment don’t cure the issue but help control the damage.
Bimatoprost is also approved by FDA as an eyelash growth serum. As per a study, it is also effective in the growth of eyebrows.
You can go through the Application of Bimatoprost to learn how to use the medication.
Who cannot use Bimatoprost
No medicine is practical for everyone. There may be many factors involved in the same. Some of the reasons why some people should not use Bimatoprost eye drops are:
- If they have or experienced an allergic reaction to Bimatoprost
- If they have undergone or will soon have eye surgery (including Cataract surgery)
- Possess dry eyes
- If you had a viral eye infection or inflammation
- A Liver or Renal condition
- Have low blood pressure or slower-than-normal heartbeat (this is known as Bradycardia, which is a type of heart Arrhythmia)
- Have any problems related to respiratory, such as COPD or Asthma
- Have a silver allergy because the eye drops in Eyreida contain very minute amounts of silver