Transcript Glaucoma

Glaucoma
Region XI
“The Hot Splinters”
Definition
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A group of diseases caused by damage to the
optic nerve that can gradually eliminate all sight
eye-health-conditions-glaucoma.action.htm
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(Source: PearleVision.com)
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Affected parts of the eye
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Optic Nerve
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Ciliary Body
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Angle of the
Anterior Chamber
Glaucoma can be:
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Congenital
Adventitious
Progressive
Stable when managed
medically
Multiple Types of Glaucoma
 Congenital:
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inherited condition appearing in infants, incomplete
development of the drainage canals during the prenatal
period
 Secondary:
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results from another cause such as drugs, injury, tumor,
inflammation
Multiple types of Glaucoma
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Primary/Open Angle:
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most common form, the correct
amount of fluid can’t drain out of
the eye (clogged pipe)
Angle Closure
Glaucoma:
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rarest form, eye pressure rises
quickly when drainage canals are
blocked/covered (sink stopper)
Three Parameters of Glaucoma
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1. Origin
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2. State of anterior chamber angle
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Primary (ideopathic: disease has an unknown cause)
Secondary (associated with other ocular or systemic
conditions)
open angle
closed angle
3. Chronicity
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Acute: short duration
Chronic: ongoing
Diagnostic Assessment
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Tonometer:
measures pressure
Pachymeter:
measures corneal thickness
Visual field test:
measures peripheral vision
Ophthalmoscopy:
direct observation of optic nerve
Imaging Technology:
scans optic nerve and retinal nerve
fiber
Gonioscopy: use of mirrors to see
interior of eye
Stages
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Initially, no symptoms, pain, or loss of vision
Loss of peripheral vision
Visual field gradually narrows into tunnel vision
If allowed to progress without treatment, leads
to complete loss of sight
Treatment:
increase fluid drainage or decrease fluid production
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Medicated Eye Drops
Oral Prescriptions
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Betagan
Pilocarpine
Propine
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Timoptic
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Surgery
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Traditional
Laser
Key Facts
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Affects 65 million people worldwide
There is no cure
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of
blindness
The leading cause of blindness in African
Americans (6-8 times more common than in
Caucasians)
Accounts for over seven million physician visits
annually
Functional Implications
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Activities of daily life
(driving, sports, etc) may
be affected by:
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Decreased contrast
sensitivity
Light sensitivity
Difficulty with glare
Need to establish new
habits and routines for
medication
National Glaucoma Day!
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110th Congressional House Resolution #981 was
passed to increase awareness about glaucoma
First annual Glaucoma Awareness Day:
March 6, 2008
Next annual Glaucoma Awareness Day:
April 12, 2010
Sources
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Cassin, Barbara (2006). Dictionary of Eye Terminology (p. 120-121). Gainesville, Florida:
Triad Publishing Company.
Goldberg, S. & Trattler, W. (2009). Ophthalmology made ridiculously simple (p. 3, 27-30).
Miami, Florida: MedMaster, Inc.
Lueck, Amanda Hall (2004). Functional Vision A practitioner’s guide to evaluation and
intervention (p. 480). New York: AFB press.
Levack, Nancy (1994). LowVision (p.134). Austin, Tx: TSBVI.
Glaucoma. Retrieved on July 6, 2009. Website: http://www.glaucoma.org/
Glaucoma Facts. Retrieved on July 6, 2009. Website:
http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/glaucoma/glaucoma_facts.asp
Glaucoma. Retrieved on July 7, 2009. Website:
http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/glaucoma.htm
Glaucoma. Retrieved on July 7, 2009. Website:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/glaucoma.html
Eye Health – Glaucoma. Retrieved on July 7, 2009. Website: http://www.webmd.com/eyehealth/glaucoma-eyes
Glaucoma. Retrieved on July 6, 2009. Website: http://www.glaucomafoundation.org/
Glaucoma Video. Retrieved on July 7, 2009. Website: http://www.pearlevision.com/visionhealth/eye-health-conditions-glaucoma.action