Forms of the Disease

1. Glaucoma: a group of diseases that can damage the eye’s optic nerve and result in vision loss and blindness. It occurs when the normal fluid pressure inside the eye slowly rises. • Forms of the Disease • Low –Tension or Normal Tension Glaucoma: pressure is low or normal but optic nerve damage and narrowed side vision occurs. • Open Angle Glaucoma: most common form. Typically the condition has no symptoms in its early stages and vision remains normal. As the optic nerve becomes more damaged, blank spots begin to appear in the field of vision. If all the optic nerve fibers die, blindness results. • Angle Closure Glaucoma: This occurs when the drainage angle becomes blocked. Eye pressure usually goes up very fast. Symptoms include… • Severe eye or brow pain • Redness of the eye • Decreased or blurred vision • Seeing colored rainbows or halos • Headaches, nausea, and vomiting • Congenital Glaucoma: A rare type of glaucoma that develops in infants and young children. It happens when the child’s drainage system doesn’t develop fully or correctly before birth. The condition can be inherited. • Secondary Glaucoma: Often develops as a result of another eye condition or disease. • Causes include… • Long term steroid therapy • Eye injury • Inflammation of the eye • Abnormal blood vessel formation from diabetes or retinal blood vessel blockage • Pigment dispersion: • Treatments: Glaucoma can not be cured, only controlled through the use of medicines, laser trabeculoplasty (helps fluid drain out of the eye), conventional surgery, or a combination of these. While these treatments may save remaining vision, they to not improve sight already lost from glaucoma. • There is some evidence that shows stress tends to aggravate glaucoma; therefore, patients with the condition should avoid emotional strain, such as anxiety, tiredness or nervousness.

2. Glaucoma • Developed by Emily Diaz • References Wikipedia. (2010, July 1). Glaucoma. Retrieved July 5, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/glaucoma NEI Health Information. (2009, September). Facts About Glaucoma. Retrieved July 5, 2010, from http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/glaucoma_facts.asp Selected Anomalies and Diseases of the Eye. (1990). Glaucoma. Retrieved July 5, 2010, from http://www.tsbvi.edu/education/anomalies/glaucoma. htm NYU Langone Medical Center. (2010). Glaucoma. Retrieved July 5, 2010, from http://www.med.nyu.edu/patientcare/library/article/glaucoma.html Eye Diseases Information: Eye Smart. (n.d.). Glaucoma. Retrieved July 5, 2010, from http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/diseases/glaucoma.cfm