Eye disorder: Glaucoma

Pathophysiology

Caused by raised intraocular pressure. It is this raised pressure that compresses and damages the optic nerve. Once the optic nerve is damaged, it fails to carry visual information to the brain and this results in loss of vision.

Causes

dilating eye drops

blocked or restricted drainage in the eye

medications, such as corticosteroids

poor or reduced blood flow to the optic nerve

high or elevated blood pressure

Clinical manifestations

severe eye pain

vomiting

nausea

redness in the eye

sudden vision disturbanca

seeing colored rings around lihts

sudden blurred vision

stages

  1. elevated iop
  1. atrophy of the optic nerve
  1. alterations in aqueous outflow system
  1. an initial sequence of events
  1. progressive loss of the visual field

diagnostic procedures

risk factors

people over 40 years of age

family history of glaucoma

nearsighted or farsighted

have poor vision

diabetic people

taking steroid medications such as prednisone

have an injury o the eye

measure the eye pressure

inspect the eye's drainage angle

treatment

eye drops

carbonic anhydrase inhibitors

argons laser trabeculoplasty

selective laser trabeculoplasty

laser peripheral iridotomy

cyclophotocoagulation

measure the thickness of the cornea

test the peripheral vision

examine the optic nerve for damage

definition

a condition of increased pressure eyeball, causing gradual loss of sight