Pay attention to eye pressure after age 40

Ophthalmology and Surgery Specialist Prof. Dr. Abdullah Özkırış issued important warnings regarding eye pressure.

Noting that eye pressure is an insidious disease that progresses without symptoms and causes irreversible permanent blindness, Özkırış stated that when the disease is caught in the early stages, it can be treated effectively with medication or surgical treatment methods, adding; "The latest medications can prevent the progression of the disease and yield gratifying results. It is of great importance to have an eye examination once a year so that glaucoma does not cause permanent vision loss. The first symptoms of the disease are seen in individuals over the age of 40. The risk of occurrence is higher in older patients. The most important risk factor is a family history of glaucoma. Apart from this, the risk of developing glaucoma is higher in diabetic and hypertensive patients. Those with a family history of glaucoma should have an eye examination every 6 months," he said.

Ophthalmology and Surgery Specialist Prof. Dr. Abdullah Özkırış stated; "It is important to have a routine eye check-up once a year after the age of 40. People with a family history of serious eye diseases such as glaucoma should have an eye examination every 6 months. Although glaucoma is known as eye pressure, measuring eye pressure alone is not sufficient for diagnosis. This is because there are types of glaucoma where eye pressure is not high. It is necessary to carefully look at the cupping and thinning rates in the optic nerve at the back of the eye. When eye pressure is measured high during an examination, it is necessary to check the thickness of the transparent layer of the eye called the cornea. For diagnosis, it is also necessary to perform a computerized visual field test to evaluate narrowing in the peripheral visual field and an optic nerve analysis with an OCT device. The progression of the disease can be stopped with current treatments. In glaucoma, medication is primarily used in cases where the eye pressure value is not at very high limits. Efforts are made to bring eye pressure to normal limits with these medications. The patient is followed up at certain intervals during drug treatment. In cases where eye pressure does not drop despite medication, surgical methods can be resorted to. It should not be forgotten that the goal in all medical or surgical treatments for glaucoma is to preserve the current state of the eye. Keeping in mind that vision loss caused by the disease is irreversible, routine eye examinations should never be neglected," he said.

News Source: İHA