What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a slowly progressive visual loss due to damage of optic nerve, the cause of which is largely unknown. The visual damage is irreversible and only controllable factor in preventing progression is the intra ocular pressure. The belief is that glaucoma can occur only in diabetics is wrong. It can occur to any body more commonly after 40 years of age. Hence every body in and around 40 is at risk of glaucoma. It may or may not be familiar.

Should I have to have regular checkup?
While medication and compliance with the therapy helps control IOP, it doesn’t necessarily mean everything is okay. Especially as there are no warning symptoms to caution you if something does go wrong. That’s why glaucoma management requires frequent monitoring, with periodic checkups perhaps every three to four months for the rest of your life.

Also, your doctor needs to keep tabs on how effective your medication is, and whether a different dosage, strength, or perhaps a totally different medication is required. To evaluate how well your medication is working, periodic checkups are essential. The medication which you are using for the control of other systemic illness like Diabetes, Hypertension should be informed to doctor as it may interfere with glaucoma medications.

As a newly diagnosed glaucoma patient may need to have their eye pressures checked every week or month until they are under control. Even when eye pressures are at a safe level you may need to see your doctor several times a year for regular checkups.

What can you expect during your checkups?
Regular eye examinations usually include a combination of the following tests, to determine if glaucoma damage is increasing over time.
» Tonometry – to measure your intraocular pressure.
» Ophthalmoscopy – to evaluate any optic nerve damage.
» Perimetry – a test of the visual field of each eye.
» Gonioscopy to inspect the drainage angle of your eye.

To understand why these tests are vital, you need to understand how these tests work.

Tonometry – a tonometer measures the inner pressure of the eye by determining how much pressure is necessary to cause a slight indentation on the outer part of the eye. A very small amount of pressure is applied after numbing the eye with drops, and the pressure is recorded. Normal pressures usually range from 12 – 22 mm Hg. The mm Hg refers to millimeters of mercury, which is a scale for recording eye pressure.

Ophthalmoscopy – drops are first administered to dilate the pupil. Then an instrument with small light on the end is help up close to the eye in a darkened room. This is the ophthalmoscope, which lights up and magnifies the inside of the eye. It lets the doctor look through the pupil and examine the shape and colour of the optic nerve.

Because your eye may be dilated during the exam, you may want to bring sunglasses with you to your appointment. Dilatation can make you eyes extra sensitive to light for a short time after your exam.

Automated Perimetry – When we look at an object say flower that is our vision. The object is surrounded by so many other materials. In our example the flower is surrounded by the plant, leaves as well as the whole garden. This is called field of vision. When we see the object say flower simultaneously the whole garden is seen. Although not focused. Glaucoma affects the field of vision and the Perimetry analyses the field of vision.

Gonioscopy – Numbing drops are used, and the doctor placesa and help contact lens gently on the eye. This les lets the doctor look sideways into the eye to see if the angle between the iris and the cornea is closed and blocked or wide and open.

Initially you may find some of these tests to be a little uncomfortable but with a little time you will get used to it. And if you find any of them particularly difficult, talk to your doctor he will find a way to make it easier for you.