Myopia

[waltky]

Uncle Ferd says dat's what Granny got `cause she can't see what goin' on under her own nose...

Myopia linked to serious eye disease
Fri, Jul 01, 2011 - People who are nearsighted may be nearly twice as likely to also develop glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness, according to a new study that summarizes earlier research.

More than two million Americans over 40 have been diagnosed with the eye disease, which is becoming increasingly expensive to treat. According to one expert, the findings mean nearsighted people -- a third of all Americans -- may want to undergo regular eye screening. "A conclusion might be that persons with high myopia should have regular ophthalmic examinations," Dr. Barbara Klein of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who worked on one of the studies included in the new review, told Reuters Health.

Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, causing gradual loss of vision. There are several treatments available -- including drugs and surgery -- but none of them can restore sight once it's lost. The new study, published in the journal Ophthalmology, focused on the link between nearsightedness and "open-angle" glaucoma, the most common form of the disease. Dr. Nomdo Jansonius at the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands and colleagues combined data from 11 previous studies that included tens of thousands of people, tracking who were nearsighted and had glaucoma.

The researchers found that, overall, nearsighted people were about 90 percent more likely to also develop open-angle glaucoma. Those with higher levels of myopia appeared to be at higher risk of glaucoma, as well. The findings only show that nearsightedness and glaucoma often co-occur, not that one causes the other. Furthermore, some of the studies are hard to compare, Klein noted, because they looked at people of different ages or ethnicities, or applied different diagnostic criteria for the conditions. "The results are, in a sense, an average," she said, and may not be applicable to every group of people.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology already recommends regular eye exams for all adults beginning around age 40. The group urges blacks to start even earlier, with exams every three to five years, because their risk of glaucoma is higher. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a federally supported expert panel, says there is too little evidence to recommend for or against screening.

Myopia linked to serious eye disease

 

[waltky]

Glaucoma is best caught and treated early...

Early Detection And Treatment A Must For Glaucoma Patients
October 03, 2012 - Glaucoma is not one disease, but a group of diseases that can cause permanent blindness if left untreated. Just as there are different types of glaucoma, there are different treatments.

Glaucoma robs people of their vision. It happens when fluid builds up in the eye, causing so much pressure that it kills cells in the optic nerve. Mary Hyman was diagnosed with glaucoma more than a decade ago. "It was something that came on, and I was not aware," said Hyman. Hyman knew something was wrong when she was playing peek-a-boo with a child. "And I did one of these, and I said, that left eye is blurry," she said.

There's no cure for glaucoma, but it can be controlled by reducing the pressure in the eye. Dr. Eric Fleischer. "There isn't a magic number. That's the tricky part," said Fleischer. The right pressure is different for every patient. And so is the treatment. The first course of treatment is usually with eye drops. "We give the patient a drop, we measure their pressure, and we see if it lowers the pressure. If it won't, then the next step is laser surgery," said Fleischer. The type of treatment depends on the type of glaucoma the patient has.

Dr. Alan Robin says it can also depend on where the patient lives. "Some drops need to be refrigerated and there's no way in some places like southern India where it's hot, hotter and hottest, or in tropical areas such as equatorial Africa, where you can keep things in refrigeration all the time," said Robin. Cost can also be a barrier to treatment. Dr. Rengaraj Venkatesh is with the Aravand Eye Hospital in India. "In India, when someone seeks health care, they don't come alone. They come with at least one family member. So the cost involved in getting to the hospital is also expensive," said Venkatesh.

But for those who can get treatment, glaucoma patient Mary Hyman says this: "When you get your physical, get your eyes examined. Even though you might not think you have a problem. Get your eyes examined," she said. Hyman is grateful that she is being treated for her glaucoma. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization says glaucoma is an emerging priority because the number of cases is expected to increase as more people the world over live longer.

Source