Glaucoma, also popularly known as eye pressure, is at the top of the list of insidious diseases worldwide. Prof. Dr. İhsan Öge from Dünyagöz Etiler Hospital during World Glaucoma Week March 11-17 stated that glaucoma can occur in everyone, especially after the age of 35, and if left untreated, it can lead to blindness (loss of vision), and also shared a piece of important information about this disease, which is also common in our country.
According to studies, about 2 million people in Turkey are at risk of glaucoma, and only 5% of them are aware of their disease. This insidious disease that can affect anyone, especially after the age of 35, can lead to blindness if left untreated. Prof. Dr. İhsan Öge from Dünyagöz Etiler Hospital states that glaucoma can occur in anyone at any age: “In our country, the number of patients with glaucoma (eye pressure) caused by high intraocular pressure and weakening of the optic nerves has also increased significantly. Unfortunately, many patients are unaware that they also have this disease. Early diagnosis and treatment of this disease, which is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in the world, is very important. The main reason for this is that lost sight never comes back. At whatever level we find the disease, we can only keep it at that level. This is possible only with constant monitoring and careful treatment. Thanks to the methods we use today in treatment, patients are most often able to maintain an adequate level of vision throughout their lives”.
People with diabetes and myopia are twice as likely to be at risk
People with a family history of glaucoma, diabetes, myopia, and low blood pressure, and those with sleep problems should be closely monitored for their risk of developing glaucoma. Claiming that glaucoma is a very insidious disease and can cause sudden, painless loss of vision, Prof. Dr. Öge emphasizes that people should not neglect to measure their eye pressure twice a year until they reach the age of 40. Prof. Dr. Öge stated that more than two million people in Turkey suffer from glaucoma and after a certain age, everyone is at serious risk: “As eye pressure increases, the optic nerve is damaged, and therefore the thickness of the optic nerves and optic fibers should be assessed with modern devices through regular periods. This becomes even more important, in particular in the presence of intraocular pressure in older people in the family and the family as a whole. Eye pressure, the silent thief of vision, is seen in several million people in Turkey. All of these patients are at risk of losing their vision in the future”.
Glaucoma can also be treated with medication
This disease, which progresses insidiously and causes vision loss, can also be treated with conventional medications such as eye drops. Prof. Dr. Öge states that, if necessary, surgery and a laser can be applied: “In the early stages of the disease, medications will be enough to treat the disease. However, early diagnosis is very important here. Because lost vision can never be regained. For this reason, people should undergo an eye examination after a certain age. If necessary, we can also resort to surgery and a laser”.
