Most people with glaucoma feel perfectly fine for years. The most common form of the disease brings no pain and no early change in eyesight, while it quietly wears away the optic nerve, which is why it has earned the nickname “the silent thief of sight”. With the year drawing to a close, Bryanston-based ophthalmic surgeon Dr. Taryn Fletcher is urging Johannesburg adults who have not had a thorough eye examination in some time to schedule one now, especially those who belong to a higher-risk group.
The timing suits November well. Plenty of people set aside the weeks before the December holidays to catch up on overdue health appointments, yet an eye check tends to slip off the list because glaucoma rarely gives any reason to book one.
How glaucoma harms the eye
The optic nerve is a bundle of more than a million fine nerve fibres that relays signals from the eye to the brain, and glaucoma is the disease that damages it. In most cases the trouble starts with fluid collecting in the front of the eye. A healthy eye lets this fluid escape through a region known as the drainage angle, so internal pressure stays steady. If that angle stops draining as it should, the pressure climbs and begins to injure the nerve.
Each nerve fibre that dies leaves a blind spot in the field of vision. These gaps typically appear first around the outer edges of sight, so many patients only become aware of them once a substantial portion of the optic nerve is gone. Glaucoma ranks among the leading causes of blindness in people older than 60, but early treatment can frequently prevent that outcome. Lost vision cannot be restored, which makes early detection so important.
The two main forms
Primary open-angle glaucoma is the type seen most often. It progresses slowly, rather like a drain that blocks up bit by bit, and it is painless, with no early effect on vision. In some people the optic nerve is vulnerable even at normal eye pressure, which adds to their risk.
Angle-closure glaucoma occurs when the iris lies so close to the drainage angle that it can obstruct it. A complete blockage causes pressure to spike rapidly, an event known as an acute attack, and it is a genuine eye emergency. Signs to watch for are sudden blurring of vision, intense eye pain, headache, nausea or vomiting, and rainbow-coloured rings or halos around lights. Anyone experiencing these should get in touch with an ophthalmologist straight away. This form can also creep up slowly and silently until serious damage has been done.
Who needs an examination
Certain people carry a greater than average risk of glaucoma. The patient information supplied by Dr. Fletcher’s practice lists those who are older than 40, have relatives with glaucoma, are of African or Hispanic descent, have raised eye pressure, are farsighted or nearsighted, have previously injured an eye, have corneas that are thin at the centre, or live with diabetes, migraines, poor circulation or other conditions affecting the whole body. Having several of these factors raises the risk further still.
In a city as varied as Johannesburg, a large portion of adults fit at least one of those descriptions. Talking through individual risk with an ophthalmologist in Johannesburg is the first step in working out how often someone should be examined.
Why checking pressure is not sufficient
The practice is clear that a screening which measures only eye pressure cannot reliably pick up glaucoma. A complete eye examination is the one dependable way to diagnose it. That examination involves measuring eye pressure, inspecting the drainage angle, checking the optic nerve for damage, testing peripheral vision, photographing or digitally measuring the optic nerve, and measuring how thick the cornea is.
Combined, these results reveal whether glaucoma is present, how advanced it is and how urgently treatment should begin. Carrying out and interpreting this kind of assessment is exactly what ophthalmologists are trained for.
Treatment options
Daily eye drops are the usual way to keep glaucoma under control. They bring down the pressure inside the eye, either by cutting the amount of fluid the eye makes or by improving how well it drains. Laser procedures and surgery are also used to help fluid flow out of the eye. Whatever the approach, the goal is to prevent any further damage.
Because eye drops can cause side effects, patients are advised to share a complete list of their medicines with their doctor, never to stop or alter glaucoma medication without first consulting their ophthalmologist, and to request refills before they run out. Dr. Fletcher has also written about how glaucoma and dry eye are connected, a problem many glaucoma patients face. Some glaucoma drops contain preservatives that can irritate the eye’s surface, and switching to preservative-free drops can relieve symptoms for some people. Air conditioning and long stretches in front of a screen, both typical of office life in summer, can aggravate dry eye.
Symptoms that need prompt attention
Although glaucoma generally gives no warning, the practice also points to symptoms that should never be left to wait. A sudden burst of new floaters, particularly when accompanied by flashes of light, may indicate that the gel inside the eye is separating from the retina, and sometimes that the retina is tearing or detaching. Anyone who experiences this, even while on holiday, should get medical help immediately. Reaching an ophthalmologist quickly in these circumstances can significantly affect the result.
The practice
Dr. Fletcher’s areas of focus are microincision cataract surgery, glaucoma and medical retinal disease, along with aesthetic ophthalmology. She earned her medical degree at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2005, served as a medical officer at St John Eye in 2008 and qualified as an ophthalmologist in 2013. After a period as an honorary consultant at Helen Joseph Hospital, she launched her own practice in 2014. She is a member of the Ophthalmological Society of South Africa, the European Glaucoma Society and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.
Consulting hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 17:00. To arrange a glaucoma assessment before year end, or to read more about the conditions treated, patients can go to https://drtfletcher.co.za/.
About Dr. T Fletcher
Dr. Taryn Fletcher is an ophthalmic surgeon in private practice at Bryanston Place Office Park, 199 Bryanston Drive, Bryanston, Johannesburg. The practice focuses on microincision cataract surgery, medical retinal disease and aesthetic ophthalmology, and also treats glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, pterygium, and flashes and floaters.
Media Contact
Dr. T Fletcher
Email: info@drtfletcher.co.za
Phone: +27 11 463 2958
Website: https://drtfletcher.co.za/
Images:
Links:
Boilerplate and Editor’s Notes.
More Info on Dr. T Fletcher Calls for Glaucoma Checks Before the Year Closes here:
X: https://twitter.com/topclickmediasa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/top-click-media-pty-ltd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/topclickmediaSA/
CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.
Track Your Press Release HERE:
Check Online Visibility
Verify where this release is currently indexed:
Free Johannesburg Press Release Submissions from MyPR.co.za
Balwin Properties Sets Out What Comes Standard in Its New Apartments