The eye is one of the most important organs of the human system. It gives light to the body. Almost all human activities depend on one’s ability to see. A person’s life patterns, goals and aspirations would be greatly interrupted if there were no eyes. Despite the great importance of the eye to life, it is a very delicate organ hence the need to pay critical attention to it. Just as other parts of the body are prone to diseases and disorders, the eye is not exempted. Due to its delicate nature, one’s inability to pay attention to it usually results in worst situations such as blindness. In this article, I will discuss and campaign about Glaucoma, nicknamed the silent thief of sight. The World Health Organization has designated March 9th to 15th as World Glaucoma Week. The focus of the week is to raise awareness to educate the public on the deadly condition hence this article.
Glaucoma is a group of diseases that affect or damage the optic nerves of the eyes and lead to progressive and irreversible vision loss. The optic nerves are tissues that send information of the things we look at, from the eyes to the brain before one can see. Any damage to the optic nerve affects the transmission hence making vision blurry. Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness globally. In 2020, 4.13 million people aged 50years and older suffered moderate to severe vision impairment and 3.6 million were permanently blind due to glaucoma (Global Burden of Disease Study, 2020). The condition appears to be more rampant among persons of African Descent.
Glaucoma has been named the ‘silent thief of sight’ because, it usually does not come with symptoms in the early stages because the optic nerves die off gradually. Symptoms are usually noticed at the moderate to advanced stage of the condition. This explains why a lot of people get blind due to glaucoma. People usually would not have an eye examination until they have troubling issues which pushes them to present themselves for an eye consult. Some people even reject free check-ups and screenings organized by credible institutions due to belief in their incredible vision and in extension overall eye health.
As indicated earlier, glaucoma usually does not present with symptoms but its signs are usually noticeable and this is only possible through comprehensive eye examination by qualified professionals such as Optometrists, Ophthalmologist or Ophthalmic nurses in the case of Ghana. Even with our expertise, it would be very difficult for a doctor to look at a person and make a definite diagnosis of glaucoma without examination of the eyes. The symptomless nature of the condition in the early stages is a clarion call to the public to place premium on their eyes and visit the appropriate health facilities to be thoroughly examined.
There are some factors that can make a person liable to glaucoma. One major risk factor I want to discuss is the ‘family history of glaucoma’. It has been well established by medical scientists that glaucoma is a hereditary disease, thus it can be passed on from one family member to another especially people who have direct relation like parents and their children. Specific genes have been identified to be responsible for this. In my close to five years of practice as an Optometrist, I have seen families with all members victims of glaucoma. Some were first detected in the either parent, the children were called for examination and it was discovered they also had. In some other cases, it was first detected in their children, we traced back to parents and realized they also have the condition but they did not know because they never had and eye check- up. In my outfit of practice, numerous patients come to us frustrated because they feel they are going blind because of glaucoma. These are red flags that should prompt every individual to develop a good eye care seeking behavior.
Other risk factors worth mentioning include increased eye pressures, old age, trauma, prolonged use of certain medications like steroids, diabetes and hypertension. It must be stated emphatically that presently glaucoma does not have any medical cure. That is to say that whatever damage that the disease causes remain. Scientific work is ongoing to find a permanent cure for the condition. What we try to do as clinicians is to manage and protect the remaining nerves.
Among the factors that can cause glaucoma, only the eye pressure can be modified when we are trying to manage the condition. Hence we prescribe medicines or surgery to reduce the pressures. I must be quick to say that; the eye pressures cannot be measured until one visits the hospital. This tells us that if we are able to visit the hospital for routine check- up regardless of whether we have complaints or not, it will help identify a lot of cases and management can start early. An annual routine eye check -up is recommended for every individual. Sticking to this recommendation will help detect the condition early and this will go a long way to prevent blindness. Also parents who have been diagnosed of glaucoma should make a conscious effort to inform their children about their condition and encourage them to be examined or send them up for examination. Glaucoma affect people of all age groups.
Before I end, I would want to debunk one myth people usually have about glaucoma. People hold the myth that spectacles cure glaucoma. I must emphatically say that glaucoma is not about spectacle wear. Your eye doctor may prescribe spectacles for you to improve your vision but that is not a cure for the glaucoma. In simple terms, Spectacles have their role to play in a person’s visions but they do not cure glaucoma. We have realized that some patients do not go for comprehensive eye examination or stop using their prescribed medications and rely on spectacles thinking they would be cured by that. A lot of the time, these people come back to us with the situation worsened. Am I saying spectacles are bad? Not at all, but they have their own role to play. This myth has coursed people to fall in the hands of wayside spectacle vendors and has affected them negatively.
As we celebrate the World Glaucoma Week, I implore and encourage you to take the opportunity to have your eye examined. Do not let glaucoma steal your sight. Thank you.
Written by
Dr. Stephen Oduro Kyei
Optometrist (OD, MGOA, Glaucoma Enthusiast)
Save the Nation’s Sight Clinic
Manet Estate District
About The Author
