Glaucoma is the collective name for a group of eye diseases. Glaucoma slowly destroys the optic nerve, located at the back of the eye. It is most frequently caused by increased pressure inside the eye due to a blockage of the circulation and/or it's drainage of aqueous humour. The aqueous humour is the clear fluid which fills the space between the back surface of the cornea, as well as the front surface of the vitreous humour, which is the thick gelatinous material that fills the back of the eye in front of the retina.
Glaucoma can occur at any age although typically, it’s a more common occurrence in people of advanced age. Anyone can get glaucoma; however, people with a medical history of diabetes, eye injury, high blood pressure, as well as a family history of the disease, for example, are more at risk.
Although there are different forms of glaucoma, chronic glaucoma is the more common form of the disease. Unfortunately, there are no symptoms for the disease until vision is lost. The damage begins very slowly and destroys vision gradually. Because the unaffected eye compensates for the affected eye, the person is unaware of vision lost until so much of it is destroyed and it becomes obvious to the person.
Damage is irreversible and treatment can not retrieve vision that has been lost. Early detection is the best treatment so damage can be prevented. Eye drops are the most common form of treatment or pills might be prescribed. If deterioration is not controlled by either treatment, a laser procedure may be performed. As a last recourse, surgery can be undertaken to create a new channel for the fluid to leave the eye.
For many years, contact lenses were not recommended in people with glaucoma. However, contact lenses have gone through vast improvements and in certain situations can now be used by people with glaucoma. You must find out first if the eye drops you use to treat the glaucoma will interact with the contact lenses so that contact lens intolerance does not occur.
Disclaimer: The author is not a medical doctor, optician, ophthalmologist or any other medical professional, this article has been compiled using a variety of internet reference sources and while every effort has been made to ensure accuracy this cannot be guaranteed. No preference for product or brand is inferred or intended and the contents of this article are not to be used in whole or in part to inform a decision regarding any aspect of contact lens use.
