Cataract l Glaucoma l Retina l Refractive
Glaucoma is a leading
cause of preventable
blindness worldwide
What are some other
forms of glaucoma?
Although open angle glaucoma is the most
common form, there are other types of glaucoma.
Angle closure glaucoma. Fluid is blocked from leaving
the anterior chamber by the iris, the colored portion of
the eye. A patient with angle closure glaucoma will
display noticeable symptoms, including:
Blurred vision
Severe eye pain
Headaches
Haloes, or rainbows, around light
Nausea or vomiting
Angle-closure glaucoma is an emergency. If you
experience any of the above symptoms, contact your
eye doctor immediately.
Normal tension glaucoma. Some glaucoma patients
do not develop elevated eye pressures. The progression
and treatment of vision loss is the same as in open
angle glaucoma.
Congenital glaucoma. Occurs in children born with
defects in the angle of their eyes. The improper
angle keeps fluid from draining, causing an increase
in pressure.
Secondary glaucoma. Caused by external factors, such
as injury, trauma, or disease (e.g., cataracts, tumors)
to the eye.
Pigmentary glaucoma. Occurs when small parts of the
iris break off and block fluid from draining out of the eye.
XXX-X-XXX XM 0504 ©2004 Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc.
Specifications subject to change.
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The Humphrey Matrix is a safe, accurate,
normal vision
and non-invasive visual field instrument
that has been
shown to detect
glaucoma early.
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
Goeschwitzer Str. 51-52
07745 Jena, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 36 41 / 22 0-3 33
Fax:
+49 (0) 36 41 / 22 0-2 82
[email protected]
www.meditec.zeiss.com
vision with glaucoma
Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc.
5160 Hacienda Drive
Dublin, CA 94568, USA
Phone: +1 800 342 9821
Fax:
+1 925 557 4217
[email protected]
www.meditec.zeiss.com
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a general term used to describe damage to
the optic nerve, usually caused by elevated eye pressure.
The optic nerve is a bundle of over one million nerve cells
that carries the images you see to your brain; damage
to the optic nerve can lead to permanent vision loss.
However, with regular checkups, your doctor can detect
and treat glaucoma – and protect your vision.
What causes glaucoma?
Image courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health
In a healthy eye, fluid flows into and out of the front
portion of the eye (anterior chamber) at an equal rate.
In the most common form of glaucoma, open-angle
glaucoma, clogging in the trabecular meshwork prevents
this fluid from draining out fast enough. With nowhere
else to go, the fluid builds up and increases pressure
inside the eye. Eventually, this elevated pressure can
damage the optic nerve.
How do I know if I have
glaucoma?
Am I at risk for
developing glaucoma?
Early cases of open-angle glaucoma usually show no
obvious symptoms. Although small blind spots in the
field of vision may begin to develop as the optic
nerve is damaged, they are usually not noticeable by
patients until significant optic nerve damage has
already occurred.
Anyone can develop glaucoma; however, the following
factors can put you at greater risk:
The best way to detect open angle glaucoma is with
regular eye exams. During a glaucoma evaluation, your
doctor may conduct a visual field test to check for early
vision loss. Other tests your doctor may perform to
check for glaucoma include measuring eye pressure
and/or checking for structural damage with
photographs or digital imaging.
What is visual field
testing and why is it
important?
Visual field testing is an essential tool used for
diagnosing glaucoma. It is a non-invasive eye exam
in which a patient is shown points of light of varying
intensities and at varying locations. The exam measures
the patient’s ability to see these stimuli; and when
complete, the exam provides a map showing
precisely where blind spots, if any, have developed
or are developing.
Only with an accurate diagnosis of visual field function
can doctors effectively manage and treat glaucoma.
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Advanced age
Elevated eye pressure
African or Spanish-American descent
Farsightedness or nearsightedness
Past eye injury
Thinner central corneal thickness
Systemic health problems, including diabetes,
migraine headaches, and poor circulation
From American Academy of Ophthalmology.
How is glaucoma treated?
There is no cure for glaucoma, and vision loss caused by
glaucoma cannot be reversed. However, medication and
surgery can be used to prevent further damage. If you
have glaucoma, talk with your doctor about the right
treatment for you.
But remember, the best treatments are powerless against
disease that has gone undetected.