Glaucoma is one of the health conditions that have generated significant attention in the health care sector because it is the second-leading cause of blindness. This disease is a major challenge because it progresses or develops without symptoms until it successfully damages the optic nerve. As a result, approximately 50% of people with this condition remain undiagnosed while nearly one in every ten people aged 80 years or more are affected by it (Parente, 2011). Given its tendency to develop without symptoms until it becomes severe, glaucoma is a major health risk to every individual ranging from newborns to the elderly. While standard treatments exist, glaucoma can cause loss of vision or total blindness because of pressure inside the eye.
Glaucoma, which is also known as increased intraocular pressure (IOP), is a condition attributable to insufficient drainage of aqueous humor from the eye's anterior chamber (Vera, 2013). The condition results in damage of the optic nerve of the eye, which becomes worse or severe over time. As a result of increased pressure, glaucoma results the atrophy of the optic nerve which may progress to blindness if untreated. Since this condition tends to be inherited, it may not be detected until during later stages in life.
Glaucoma is classified into two i.e. open-angle and close-angle or narrow angle. The most common type of this illness is recurring open-angle glaucoma, which accounts for 90% of the disease. Open-angle glaucoma tends to develop slowly and may affect both eyes while it's also associated with myopia and diabetes. Given the lack of early warning signs, open-angle glaucoma can contribute to gradual loss of peripheral vision. On the contrary, close-angle or narrow angle glaucoma is less common and mostly linked to eye trauma, papillary dilation, and several inflammatory procedures following the installation of mydriatic...
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