Warning on eye pressure for those over 40

Noting that even if visual clarity is not significantly affected in the early stages due to pressure on the optic nerve, serious losses and narrowing in the visual field can occur, Op. Dr. Şeyda Atabay said, "The losses that occur are irreversible. And because the disease can progress without affecting visual clarity until the final stages, it is an insidious disease. Unless it suddenly rises to very high levels, which is slow-progressing in most patients, it is not noticed by the patient. It does not cause any pain or symptoms in the eye."

Stating that it would not be understood during a routine eye examination for glasses, Ophthalmologist Op. Dr. Şeyda Atabay said, "In hospitals where intensive outpatient services are provided, it is very difficult to perform eye pressure and fundus examinations on every patient individually.

And in such situations with a high volume of patients, it can be very easily overlooked. For this reason, we especially recommend that our patients have an eye examination for the purpose of screening for eye pressure, even if they have no problems at all.

The risk increases in individuals who have a family history of eye pressure. These patients of ours should have their check-ups more frequently," she said.

"THERE IS NO SPECIFIC AGE LIMIT"

Ophthalmologist Op. Dr. Şeyda Atabay noted that there is no specific age limit for eye pressure disease and spoke as follows:

"It can be congenital, and it is also encountered in early childhood. However, it is more frequently seen in those over 40.

For this reason, it is beneficial for every person over 40 to have a screening examination for eye pressure at least once a year, even if there is no family history of eye pressure. Just like blood pressure, eye pressure can show variations within hours. 

In fact, even if eye pressure measurements come out normal in some of our patients, the existing pressure may be in a state that could damage the optic nerve. Particular attention should be paid to these conditions, which are called normal-tension glaucoma. We benefit from various tests in the detection and follow-up of our eye pressure patients. 

Tests such as visual field, retinal nerve fiber analysis, and OCT are very useful for us in understanding the extent of glaucoma disease. 

Eye pressure is an insidious disease. It can easily be missed, especially if not specifically checked. When diagnosed late, it is among the leading causes of irreversible blindness. It ranks second among the causes of blindness in the world. With early diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, which is a preventable cause of blindness, vision can be preserved for long periods." 

News Source: İHA