“Silent thief of vision” or how to deal with glaucoma

Ophthalmologists believe that glaucoma is one of the most insidious ophthalmic diseases that develops “quietly” and without visible symptoms can lead to loss of vision.

March 6th is World Glaucoma Day. On the eve of this day, a round table “The Silent Stealer of Vision”, or How to deal with glaucoma, was held in Moscow, at which the participants discussed the dangers of glaucoma and how not to lose sight of it.

First, what is glaucoma? This is a chronic ophthalmic disease associated with a constant increase in intraocular pressure, resulting in atrophy of the optic nerve. And as a result, the person goes blind. Second, how common is it? According to doctors in the world, approximately 100 million people suffer from glaucoma, in Russia this figure is 1.3 million patients.

Can glaucoma be prevented? According to ophthalmologist Irina Sevostyanova, this is possible if you follow the main rule – to regularly check the eyesight of doctors in order to “catch” the disease at an early stage.

– A person aged 40 to 55 years is recommended to visit an ophthalmologist about once every 2 to 3 years. After 55 years, the likelihood of developing glaucoma increases dramatically, so preventive examinations are best done annually, says Irina Sevostyanova. – If glaucoma is already present, the patient should either be treated with medication, or, if this does not help, undergo surgery. In some patients, surgery allows you to stop taking medication for several years, but after a while the entire treatment process will have to be repeated again.

According to ophthalmologist Elena Platonova, unfortunately, glaucoma today cannot be cured yet – experts have been struggling to unravel this disease for many decades.

“But to mitigate the course of the disease and prevent the onset of blindness in our time is quite possible. The main thing to remember and know is that glaucoma today is definitely not a sentence, says Elena Platonova.

5 ways to protect yourself from glaucoma

Method one. Get regular checkups with an ophthalmologist. And in cases where the diagnosis has already been made, it is necessary to constantly monitor the course of the disease.

Method two. Work with proper lighting, do not read or sit at a computer in a dark space and at night. To illuminate the desktop, you need to use bright table lamps.

Method three. Dose visual loads, that is, take breaks for gymnastics for the eyes and regularly rest during these classes.

Method four. To refuse from bad habits. Smoking has an extremely negative effect on the blood supply to the eye, which can lead to a disruption in the supply of oxygen and nutrients to all elements of the eyeball.

Method five. Eat right and get enough rest. To maintain eye health, it is recommended to eat foods high in vitamins A, E, C and B, in particular, include raw vegetables, fish, fruits in the food area, while reducing the amount of animal fats and sugar.

Help “MP”

World Glaucoma Day was established in 2008 by the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) and the World Glaucoma Patients Association (WGPA). The purpose of this initiative is to draw attention to the problem and current issues in the field of prevention and diagnosis of the disease.

This year, World Glaucoma Day will be held on March 6th. World Glaucoma Week runs from 12 to 18 March.

Mona Platonov.

Freepik photo