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Glaucoma
Thousands of clinical compensation claims are initiated every year in the United Kingdom by medical negligence solicitors on behalf of people from all walks of life. A multitude of operations and procedures are executed successfully however a small percentage do go wrong, laying the grounds for medical negligence solicitors to take legal action in order to claim compensation. Both legal aid and the no win no fee scheme are available to pursue medical negligence compensation claims.
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Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that, if left unchecked, can result in blindness and damage to the optic nerve. It involves having high pressure within the eye that puts pressure on the optic nerve and damages it. It is the second leading cause of blindness in the US. The symptoms come on gradually so you often don't know you have it until it causes eye damage. The most common type of glaucoma is known as primary open angle glaucoma, which is painless but results in vision loss.
Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent optic nerve damage and spare your vision. You should get a glaucoma test at least every year to make sure you don't have glaucoma. The doctor will measure your intraocular pressure-a way to know if glaucoma is present.
There are two major types of glaucoma that have very different symptoms. They include primary open angle glaucoma and acute angle closure glaucoma. In primary open angle glaucoma, the major symptoms are peripheral vision loss in both eyes and eventual tunnel vision. Acute angle closure glaucoma involves severe eye pain, visual problems in low light, nausea and vomiting, halos around lights, blurry vision, and eye redness.
Both of these conditions can be primary or secondary. They are primary when they have no known cause and they are secondary when they are traced to an eye injury, a tumor or an inflammation of the eye. Diabetes and cataracts can cause secondary disease. The signs and symptoms of each type of glaucoma, whether primary or secondary, are the same.
It is recommended that all people have a glaucoma test beginning at age 40. The same test should be done every 3 to 5 years up to the age of 60. After that, you should be assessed every year. African Americans and other high risk groups should be assessed as young as age 20.
The cause of glaucoma is unknown in many conditions. It results from an increased pressure in the eye that damages the eye. There is a buildup of aqueous humor within the eye. When the aqueous humor does not filter out of the eye, it builds up and increases the eye pressure.
A less common type of glaucoma is called low tension glaucoma. The pressure in the eye is normal but the optic nerve is damaged anyway. People believe it occurs when you have a sensitive optic nerve or atherosclerosis affecting the eye. Another type of glaucoma is pigmentary glaucoma. It occurs in younger people and involves pigmented granules within the eye that come from the back of the iris. The block the flow of aqueous humor so that the eye pressure increases.
Risk factors for glaucoma include having an elevated eye pressure, being older than aged 60, being African American, having a strong family history of glaucoma, having hypothyroidism and diabetes, having other eye problems such as past eye injuries, being nearsighted and using corticosteroids for a long period of time.
There are many types of tests for intraocular pressure and glaucoma. The main test is a test of intraocular pressure. There are many of tests that can do this. The doctor can also use instruments to see how much damage you have in your optic nerve. A visual field test can check for areas of vision loss typical for glaucoma. The doctor may do a pachymetry test, which measures corneal thickness. There is a test called a gonioscopy test that can differentiate between open angle glaucoma and angle closure glaucoma.
There are many treatments for glaucoma. The idea is to reduce the intraocular pressure. It can be done by reducing the amount of aqueous humor made or by increasing the outflow of the fluid. Eyedrops include prostaglandin-type compounds that increase the flow of aqueous fluid out of the eye. Beta blockers reduce the production of the eye fluid and can be used as an eyedrop. Alpha-agonists both reduce the production of fluid and increase the drainage of fluid. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors reduce aqueous humor production and there are miotic and cholinergic agents that increase aqueous fluid outflow. Medications that mimic epinephrine increase outflow of the fluid in the eye.
Medications can be taken orally. Some of these medications are the same as those taken by eyedrops but are formulated differently to be taken by mouth. One commonly used medication taken orally is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor.
Surgery using general surgical tools or laser surgery can reduce the pressure in the eye by increasing the outflow of aqueous humor. There are side effects to any surgery that must be weighed against the benefits.