Glaucoma the silent enemy

• April 25, 2024

During his concert at Foro Sol last night, the leader of U2, Bono called attention for not taking off his glasses at any time.

Unlike other personalities, Bono revealed that for more than 20 years he was diagnosed with glaucoma, a medical condition that has forced him to use them to relieve his discomfort.

What is glaucoma?

He is known as the silent enemy because the glaucoma he does not usually notice his presence, until late in the illness and it is too late. The only way to detect it is to visit the doctor to check the pressure of the eye and request a glaucoma test.

Although there is a belief that it is a condition that affects only the elderly, the reality is very different. This group of optic nerve diseases can occur at any age and, if not treated in time, can cause total loss of vision.
 

Eye with the peripheral loss of the visió n

According to the Association to prevent blindness in Mexico, Hospital "Dr. Luis Sánchez Bulnes ", the most frequent glaucoma is the chronic open angle that does not cause discomfort or symptoms.

However, with the passage of time the person begins to lose peripheral vision; the nerve fibers are atrophied and, generally, both eyes are affected.

The diagnosis of the disease is very easy if it is in an advanced stage, but it may require many studies when trying to identify glaucoma in the earliest stages.

The glaucoma doctor, in addition to considering the high pressure of the eye, should study the conditions of the optic nerve by direct observation or with computerized ultrasound systems that reveal the state of the patient's visual field.

In an interview for GetQoralHealth , the doctor José Luis Merino explains the characteristics of this condition:

What to do once glaucoma is detected

Avoid further deterioration of the eye and take responsibility for the treatment indicated by the doctor.

Medications may cause discomfort that you did not have before, such as burning eyes or a feeling of garbage inside the eye, or that studies are expensive and uncomfortable; All this causes the patients to despair and abandon the treatment.

The relationship with the doctor must be close, cordial and informative; The person with glaucoma should know that he / she will never be discharged and that, in the best case, he / she will have to go to a revision two or three times a year.

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