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Home > Archives for Normal Tension Glaucoma

An Overview of the Different Types of Glaucoma

October 11, 2016 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

The term Glaucoma actually refers to a group of eye conditions that lead to intraocular pressure (IOP) and damage the optic nerve, the nerve that carries visual information from the eye to the brain. This pressure comes from a buildup of normal fluid called the aqueous humor, which is naturally and continuously produced in the front of your eye.

The different types of glaucoma include:

  • Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma: Affecting around one percent of all Americans (mainly those individuals age 50 or older), it is the most common form of glaucoma. And because this form of glaucoma develops slowly, it rarely ever presents any symptoms and often goes undetected without regular screenings.
  • Normal Tension Glaucoma: Also known as Low-Tension Glaucoma, this form is characterized by progressive optic nerve damage and visual field loss with a statistically normal IOP. The lack of blood flow and the decrease in oxygen to the optic nerve is directly related to this form of glaucoma.
  • Angle-Closure Glaucoma: This form of glaucoma is related to narrow angles. And with several subcategories – including Intermittent and chronic Acute Angle-Closure or Narrow Angle-Closure – this form affects nearly 500,000 Americans, but is most common in people of Asian descent or those individuals with farsightedness (hyperopia). Unlike POAG where the IOP increases gradually, Angle-Closure Glaucoma is characterized by a sudden increase in IOP, often in only a matter of hours. This dramatic increase in IOP can cause severe eye pain, nausea, vomiting, blurry vision and headache. An acute attack is an emergency condition. Long-term effects of Angle-Closure Glaucoma include: scarring of the trabecular meshwork, resulting in chronic glaucoma; cataracts; damage to the optic nerve; permanent vision loss.
  • Pigmentary Glaucoma: This form is a type of inherited open-angle glaucoma, which develops more frequently in men than in women and is most prevalent in individuals in their twenties and thirties. Pigmentary Glaucoma is associated with near-sightedness (myopia).
  • Trauma-Related Glaucoma: A blow to the eye, chemical burn, or penetrating injury may lead to the development of either acute or chronic glaucoma.
  • Childhood Glaucoma: Also referred to as Pediatric Glaucoma, the approach to treatment is slightly different than with glaucoma in adults and almost always requires immediate surgery to relieve IOP. Approximately 80-90 percent of babies who receive prompt surgical treatment, long-term care, and monitoring of their visual development will do well, and may have normal or nearly normal vision for their lifetime. However, if the disease is not caught early more permanent vision loss will result.

The most common symptoms of glaucoma include:

  • Vision loss (most commonly tunnel vision – the gradual loss of peripheral or side vision)
  • Severe eye pain
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Sudden onset of visual disturbance
  • Blurred or blurry vision
  • Halos around lights
  • Reddening of the eye

If you feel you may be experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor immediately. These symptoms are serious and require prompt medical attention from your optometrist or ophthalmologist.

However, many people do not experience any symptoms until they begin to lose their vision. At this point, the damage is irreversible. This is why regular eye exams are so important. While there is no cure for glaucoma, early detection and treatment are your best options to slow or even prevent further vision loss brought on by the disease. Without treatment, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss.

Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of vision loss in the United States behind only cataracts.

If you have any questions about what you have just read, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today!

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

Sources:
Types of Glaucoma GlaucomaFoundation.org

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: · Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma, Acute Angle-Closure, An Overview of the Different Types of Glaucoma, Angle-Closure Glaucoma, Anne Arundel Eye Center, annearundeleyecenter.com, aqueous humor, blow to the eye, Blurred or blurry vision, board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles, Cataracts, Cause of Vision Loss, chemical burn, Childhood Glaucoma, chronic glaucoma, Cure for glaucoma, damage the optic nerve, decrease in oxygen to the optic nerve, Early Detection, emergency condition, eye care advice and information, eye care specialists, Eye Exams, farsightedness, Glaucoma, GlaucomaFoundation.org, Halos around lights, hyperopia, inherited open-angle glaucoma, Intermittent and chronic Angle-Closure, intraocular pressure, IOP, lack of blood flow, Long-term effects of Angle-Closure Glaucoma, Low-Tension Glaucoma, medical attention, Myopia, Narrow Angle-Closure, Nausea and vomiting, near-sightedness, Normal Tension Glaucoma, Pediatric Glaucoma, penetrating injury, peripheral or side vision, permanent vision loss, Pigmentary Glaucoma, POAG, Prevent Further Vision Loss, reddening of the eye, relieve IOP, scarring of the trabecular meshwork, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor, severe eye pain, Sudden onset of visual disturbance, symptoms of glaucoma, Trauma-Related Glaucoma, tunnel vision, Types of glaucoma, Vision Loss, visual field loss

Normal Tension Glaucoma Treatment in Annapolis

May 8, 2014 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

Dr. Sam Boles, an Annapolis eye doctor, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of all forms of glaucoma.

Over the past several weeks, we have examined two different types of glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness in the United States. So far we have taken a look at Primary Open Angle Glaucoma and Angle Closure Glaucoma. Over the next several weeks, we will take a closer look at two additional types of glaucoma – Normal Tension Glaucoma and Secondary Glaucoma – giving you a better understanding of each.

Normal Tension Glaucoma

While most forms of glaucoma are characterized by a rise in intraocular eye pressure (IOP), normal tension glaucoma is not. This form of glaucoma, also known as low-tension or normal-pressure glaucoma, involves damage to the optic nerve without eye pressure exceeding 24 mm Hg. The normal range is 10-21 mm Hg.

Normal Tension Glaucoma Annapolis

The cause of normal tension glaucoma is still unknown. However, those at a high risk for this form of glaucoma include:

  1. Family history of normal tension glaucoma
  2. Japanese ancestry
  3. History of systemic heart disease
  4. Bradycardia (excessively low heart rate)
  5. Low blood pressure (systemic hypotension)

Even if you do not fall into one of the above five categories, it is important to have your eyes examined annually. Early diagnosis and treatment are the keys to protecting your vision from glaucoma damage.

Normal Tension Glaucoma Treatment in Annapolis

The Anne Arundel Eye Center, led by board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, is a regional leader in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. AAEC provides complete medical eye exams as well as diagnostic surgical eye care.

Normal tension glaucoma is diagnosed by checking the optic nerve for signs of damage. This is done in several ways, including:

  1. Ophthalmoscopy: An ophthalmoscope allows your eye doctor to look through the pupil and examine the shape and color of the optic nerve. There are specialized optic nerve imaging devices that can also help the doctor examine the optic nerve.
  2. Visual Field Test: A visual field test is a subjective measure of peripheral vision to help detect or track vision loss. This test is used by your eye doctor – ophthalmologist or optometrist – in conjunction with other measures to diagnose and monitor for glaucoma. Click Here to learn more about the visual field test.

If you are found to have normal tension glaucoma, Dr. Boles will explain your treatment options.

If you have any questions about Normal Tension Glaucoma Treatment in Annapolis or wish to schedule an appointment with Anne Arundel Eye Center, please contact Dr. Boles, Dr. Corinne Casey, and the eye care specialists here at AAEC by calling 410-224-2010 or visiting AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube as well!

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

Sources:

Normal Tension Glaucoma Glaucoma Research Foundation

Filed Under: Glaucoma Tagged With: Annapolis, Normal Tension Glaucoma

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