 |
|
 |
| |
|
GLAUCOMA AWARENESS MONTH EMPHASIZES TREATMENTS
THAT REDUCE SIDE EFFECTS, HELP SAVE VISION
|
|
|
|
|
|
GLAUCOMA AWARENESS MONTH EMPHASIZES TREATMENTS
THAT REDUCE SIDE EFFECTS, HELP SAVE VISION
|
|
| During Glaucoma Awareness Month in January, the National
Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP) Partnership,
coordinated by the National Eye Institute (NEI), is
highlighting the medical advances for glaucoma that have
been developed during the past five years.
"These therapies effectively treat glaucoma while at the
same time greatly reducing side effects," said Jack A.
McLaughlin, Ph.D, acting director of the NEI, one of the
Federal government's National Institutes of Health.
Glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible vision loss in
the United States, is a disease that affects three million
Americans, half of whom do not know they have it because of
its lack of early symptoms. Advances in glaucoma treatment
are only beneficial when the disease is detected early. By
the time people realize they are losing vision, the vision
they have already lost is gone forever. Those in higher
risk groups should get a dilated eye exam -- in which drops
are placed in the eye to dilate the pupils -- at least
every two years. A dilated eye exam allows the eye care
professional to obtain a better view of the eye's optic
nerve to look for early signs of glaucoma. Higher risk
groups include anyone over the age of 60; African Americans
over the age of 40; and people who have a family history of
glaucoma.
Two new glaucoma drugs -- latanoprost and dorzolamide --
based on NEI-supported research, "reduce unpleasant side
effects, such as dry eyes and increased risk of retinal
detachment," Dr. McLaughlin said. "The side effects from
the older glaucoma treatments were major reasons why some
glaucoma patients did not take their medications. The new
therapies help preserve remaining vision and mark a
significant step in improving the quality of life for
people with glaucoma."
Glaucoma occurs when nourishing fluid that normally flows
in and out of the eye drains too slowly. As the fluid
builds up, the pressure inside the eye progressively
increases. This leads to optic nerve damage and reduced
peripheral (side) vision. As the disease worsens, the field
of vision gradually narrows and blindness may result.
However, if glaucoma is detected and treated early in its
progression, it can usually be slowed and serious vision
loss can be delayed.
Dr. McLaughlin also noted that NEI-supported research has
shown that laser surgery is a safe and effective
alternative to eye drops as a treatment for newly-diagnosed
glaucoma. Laser surgery for glaucoma involves using a high
energy beam of light to make tiny, evenly-spaced burns that
open up the drainage area inside the eye, allowing for
better outflow of the fluid. This procedure, often done in
the doctor's office, requires only local anesthesia.
One of the more significant recent research findings was
that Black and White patients with advanced glaucoma
respond differently to two surgical treatments for the
disease. Scientists found that Black patients with advanced
glaucoma benefit more from a regimen that begins with laser
surgery, and Whites patients benefit more from one that
begins with an operation called a trabeculectomy. With this
procedure, a small opening is made in the front chamber of
the eye, providing a new drainage pathway for the fluid
inside the eye. A trabeculectomy is done in an operating
room and requires local or general anesthesia.
"This was the first evidence that unique patient
characteristics could influence our therapeutic choices for
glaucoma," said Eve Higginbotham, MD, chairperson of the
NEHEP Planning Committee and chairperson of the Department
of Ophthalmology at the University of Maryland. "Doctors
now have better information to recommend treatment
programs, depending on the patient's race, and give people
with advanced glaucoma a better chance to preserve and
prolong their vision." Glaucoma is three to four times as
common in Blacks as in Whites, and blindness from glaucoma
is six times more common in Blacks than in Whites.
Glaucoma Awareness Month is sponsored by the NEHEP
Partnership, which represents public and private
organizations dedicated to educating the public about the
importance of preventive eye care.
The National Eye Institute (NEI) is part of the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) and is the Federal government's
lead agency for vision research. NEI-supported research
leads to sight-saving treatments and plays a key role in
reducing visual impairment and blindness. The NIH is an
agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services.
|
|
|
|
|
|
[
Back
] |
|
[
Top
] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
