Glaucoma affects approximately 70 million people worldwide today, of which 6 million are completely blind. Turkish Ophthalmology Association aims to increase social awareness against glaucoma by organizing various activities throughout Turkey within the scope of World Glaucoma Week held between 8-14 March. While it is estimated that there are approximately 2.5 million glaucoma patients in Turkey, only one out of every 4 patients can be diagnosed and treated. The most important features of glaucoma, which is a serious social health problem that causes irreversible vision loss, are its insidious course and late diagnosis in the majority of patients.
Attacks thought to be migraine, eye pressure may occur
Speaking at World Glaucoma Week, Turkish Ophthalmology Society Glaucoma Unit Head Prof. Dr. Özcan Ocakoğlu: “The most common type of glaucoma, known as open-angle glaucoma, is usually detected incidentally in patients who come for an eye examination due to another complaint. Many patients usually apply to an ophthalmologist after the age of 40 because of near vision impairment. In another type of glaucoma known as narrow-angle glaucoma, patients confuse the symptoms of glaucoma with migraine attacks. Headaches that are thought to be migraine can actually develop insidiously progressing and may lead to blindness over time. Regardless of the type of glaucoma, the disease can be brought under control with early diagnosis and treatment. said
It is more common in individuals with glaucoma genetic predisposition
Prof. Dr.Ocakoğlu to his words “The most common type of glaucoma is open-angle or d a, in other words, is insidious glaucoma. Having first-degree relatives such as parents and siblings with glaucoma increases the risk of the disease in family members 3-5 times. Narrow-angle glaucoma, which is rarer, can be seen more frequently in women and people with high hyperopia. Although glaucoma is generally known as a disease of advanced age, it can actually occur in young people, even in newborn babies and children. Long-term cortisone therapy due to diabetes, ocular causes or other reasons are other risk factors for glaucoma” . Dr.Ocakoğlu added his words “Although glaucoma generally occurs as a result of high intraocular pressure, glaucoma can occur even at normal or even low pressures in some special conditions. This type, which is called normal tension glaucoma, usually causes vascular problems, low blood pressure, sleep
Eye pressure leads to blindness if not treated
Prof. Dr. Özcan Ocakoğlu; “The most important cause of glaucoma is high intraocular pressure. Under normal conditions, there is an intraocular fluid called “aqueous”, which is constantly produced in the eye, nourishing some of our eye tissues and protecting the shape of our eye. This fluid must leave the eye through special channels in the eye and mix with the blood circulation. The balance between the production of aqueous fluid and its outflow from the eye ” creates normal eye pressure. This is a measurable value and accepted as 10-21 mmHg. As a result of the deterioration of this balance, that is, the decrease in the outflow of aqueous from the eye, the blood pressure in the eye rises. As a result of prolonged high pressure in the eye, the optic nerve is damaged. During the increase in intraocular pressure, the patient may not have any complaints, but over time, the peripheral vision narrows first and then complete blindness occurs. Since the optic nerve is a structure that cannot regenerate itself, the losses cannot be restored with treatment, but the disease can be stopped or worsened. Therefore, early diagnosis of this symptomless disease is very important. This is only possible by increasing the sensitivity of the society to glaucoma” .
Baby can be born with big eyes
Prof. Dr. Özcan Ocakoğlu also stated that the measurement of eye pressure, which is an integral part of the ophthalmological examination, has a very important place as the first step in the diagnosis of glaucoma, but that the diagnosis and treatment planning is not done only with pressure measurement, but also follow the patients with other advanced methods that measure the visual field or detect even early losses in the optic nerve. stressed. Dr.Ocakoğlu underlined that the corneal tissue becomes thinner, especially in people who have had myopia surgery, and this may lead to an incorrectly normal measurement of eye pressure and that the disease can be missed, and that these patients should be more careful.
Prof.Dr.Özcan Ocakoğlu reminded that babies can have glaucoma and continued his words as follows: “If the intraocular channels that carry the eye fluid out are not fully developed in the womb, the eye pressure in the fetus may increase during pregnancy and the baby may experience some symptoms. This type of glaucoma we call congenital (congenital) glaucoma is very different from adult glaucoma. Because the outer shell of the eye is very elastic in babies up to the age of 3, the increased pressure enlarges the eye, the baby may be born with large eyes. It can be noticed more easily if it is unilateral, but when it is bilateral. “The family should be especially careful in babies with unilateral large eyes. These babies have excessive watering, discomfort from light, and the eye color cannot be selected well. If there are these symptoms, they should immediately consult an ophthalmologist.”
Various activities are planned to increase glaucoma awareness
(9 800701) Turkish Ophthalmology Association Glaucoma Unit organized various events this year as every year within the scope of ‘Glaucoma Week’ held between 8-14 March . Galata Tower, which is one of the symbolic structures of Istanbul, was illuminated with green color throughout the week in order to draw attention to glaucoma disease. message has been included. To various metro stops and buses in Istanbul; Posters with information raising awareness of glaucoma were hung at Ankara Esenboğa Airport. Again, glaucoma week posters were hung in family medicine offices and hospitals, and patient information booklets prepared by the glaucoma unit were distributed. On March 8, a bicycle tour was organized in Konya with the support of the Turkish Cycling Federation. Video works prepared with the aim of increasing social awareness in Turkey, including the messages of various well-known names, were published on social media.
