Do you have relative who suffers
from glaucoma? If so, beware. You may have the incurable disease too.
Filipino families are unaware that
glaucoma can also be passed down from one generation to the next. A major cause
of bilateral permanent blindness in the Philippines, glaucoma damages optic
nerves, which connect the eye to brain.
“Indeed, family history puts into
light the hereditary and genetic aspect of the incurable glaucoma. Glaucoma
attacks not only one patient but also brings in the possibility of spreading
permanent blindness to their own loved ones,” said Dr. Jose Ma. “Biboy”
Martinez, one of a few ophthalmologist in the country specializing in glaucoma
care and the vice-president of the Philippine Glaucoma Society (PGS).
Inside the eyeball, fluids maintain
the constant eye pressure. When fluids don’t drain properly, intraocular eye
pressure occurs, which in the long run could lead to the incurable glaucoma.
Other risk factors of glaucoma are eye pressure, previous eye injury, chronic
steroid use, age over 45, diabetes mellitus and race.
The chance of a relative of a known
glaucoma patient developing the disease is difficult to determine. The pattern of
inheritance tends to be unpredictable. Suffice it to say that your chances of
developing the glaucoma are higher if you have a family member with established
primary glaucoma.
But relatives usually are unaware
of the occurrence of glaucoma. This is when frequent trips to your eye doctor
can truly show its necessity.
Glaucoma is mostly a disease of the
elderly. However, a small proportion of glaucoma occurs at birth (congenital)
or at an early age (juvenile). These patients carry a higher risk for blindness
because of their longer life span.
“With knowing that permanent
blindness runs in the family, the Philippine Glaucoma Society with Allergan
will vigorously do everything we can to get rid of glaucoma once and for all.
Of course, everything starts with the patient’s initiative. Pay a visit to your
eye doctor regularly,” adds Dr. Martinez.
Although glaucoma does not display
any conspicuous signs or symptoms, for families with case of glaucoma, watch
out for these usual occurrences amongst patients: halos, blurry or cloud
vision, vision decreases, severe eye pain, extreme sensitivity to light,
excessive blinking and runny eye, crossed or out-turned eyes, one eye becoming
larger than the other, nausea and headache.
The Philippine Glaucoma Society is
the country’s leader in glaucoma care and detection. In partnership with
globally recognize multi-specialty care firm Allergan, PGS launched on World
Glaucoma Week a series of projects, activities and campaigns to increase
awareness about the disease to local communities and to therefore stop glaucoma
in its tracks.
There is no cure yet for glaucoma,
but with the support of your family, proper medication, regular eye check-ups,
early detection and proper eye care, you can get by it with vision still
intact.
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