Bengaluru: Perfect vision doesn’t mean you can't have glaucoma. Most people don’t know that glaucoma is the name of a group of eye diseases which damage the optic nerve at the back of the eye, leading to decreased peripheral (side) vision, and eventually, a loss of central vision causing blindness. With several people visiting eye specialists when it’s too late, it can be a roadblock in effectively treating the disease.
"Most people do not even know they have Glaucoma as it is a very slow and painless disease in which the main nerve in the eye gets damaged progressively and sadly, whatever vision is lost is irreversible," says Dr. K Bhujang Shetty, Chairman of Narayana Nethralaya, Bangalore, which on an average treats some 150-200 patients daily suffering from glaucoma. Experts advise the close relatives of any person with glaucoma to get their eyes tested, as it is very likely that they too might have glaucoma.
"All blood relatives are advised to get a check-up as the chances that they might have glaucoma are higher by ten times compared to an ordinary person," says Dr. Bhujang, who also advises other risk groups including people with blunt injuries on the eye, myopia, those on steroids or suffering from any kind of ailment over a long period of time to get their eyes tested.
Also, people with perfect vision must get their eyes tested as it does not ensure that they do not have the disease. “Perfect vision does not mean that you cannot have glaucoma, as a vision test does not indicate whether a person has glaucoma or not. People above the age of forty are generally advised to get their eyes tested, despite the risks involved as the disease is irreversible," says Dr. Meena Gopinath Menon, Head of Glaucoma Services at Sankara Eye Hospital, which treats about 40 to 50 such patients daily.
Symptoms
Seeing halos around lights
Vision loss
Redness in the eye
Eye that looks hazy (particularly in infants)
Nausea or vomiting n Pain in the eye
Narrowing of vision (tunnel vision)
You are at risk if you...
Are over the age of 40
Have a family history of glaucoma
Have poor vision
Have diabetes
Have had trauma to the eye or both eyes
Take certain steroid medications
