Canine glaucoma occurs in approximately 8% of dogs in the United States. It is the leading cause of blindness in middle aged dogs. Glaucoma in dogs, as in humans, is an abnormal buildup of fluid inside of the eye. The buildup occurs when the fluid does not drain properly through a filter between the cornea and sclera of the eye. The increased amount of fluid within the eye destroys the retina and optic nerve which will quickly cause blindness.

Symptoms of glaucoma may not be obvious or a cause for concern to the dog’s family. Many of the symptoms mimic other common conditions. The symptoms of canine glaucoma in the early stages may include squinting, rubbing of the affected eye, redness, and lethargy.

There is a variety of causes of canine glaucoma. Several breeds are born with inherited eye conditions that lead to glaucoma. Other breeds may be genetically predisposed. Glaucoma may also be caused by the filter between the cornea and sclera becoming clogged by inflammatory cells or intraocular tumors.

The key to successful treatment of glaucoma is early diagnosis. A dog presenting with the symptoms of glaucoma should have the intraocular pressure of the eye checked. For proper diagnosis the intraocular pressure must be checked with a tonometer by your veterinarian or a veterinary opthamologist. If the pressure is found to be above normal limits, treatment must begin immediately to increase the chances of saving the dog’s vision in the affected eye.
Treatment for glaucoma begins with a variety of eye drops and oral medications. The initial goal is to reduce the pressure in the eye with the hope of preserving vision. Reducing the pressure will also reduce the amount of pain the dog is feeling. Glaucoma not only causes blindness but causes an extreme amount of pain if left untreated. If the pressure cannot be reduced and kept within normal limits, surgery may be necessary.

There are several different surgical procedures that are currently used. The procedure used is determined by the amount of damage done to the dog’s eye and whether or not there is still a chance of saving vision. The owner’s preference is also taken into consideration. If there is a chance of saving some of the dog’s vision, non-evasive laser or cyclocryosurgery may be used. At the other end of the spectrum the dog’s eye may be removed or enuculated and sewn shut. This procedure is used if there is no chance of saving vision. All options are presented to the dog’s family along with the risks and benefits of each.

Glaucoma damages the eye’s optic nerve. It is a leading cause of blindness in the United States. It usually happens when the fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises, damaging the optic nerve. Often there are no symptoms at first, but a comprehensive eye exam can detect it. Glaucoma refers to a category of eye disorders often associated with a dangerous buildup of internal eye pressure (intraocular pressure or IOP), which can damage the eye’s optic nerve that transmits visual information to the brain.

In most people, the filtering angles are wide open, although in some individuals, they can be narrow. For example, the usual filtering angle is about 45 degrees, whereas a narrow angle is about 25 degrees or less. After exiting through the trabecular meshwork in the filtering angle, the aqueous fluid then drains into tiny blood vessels (capillaries) into the main bloodstream. The aqueous humor should not be confused with tears, which are produced by a gland just outside of the eye.

Causes
In the front of the eye is a space called the anterior chamber? A clear fluid flows continuously in and out of the chamber and nourishes nearby tissues. The fluid leaves the chamber at the open angle where the cornea and iris meet. (See diagram below.) When the fluid reaches the angle, it flows through a spongy meshwork, like a drain, and leaves the eye.

This is caused by trabecular blockage which is where the aqueous humor in the eye drains out. Because the microscopic passage ways are blocked, the pressure builds up in the eye and causes imperceptable very gradual vision loss. Peripheral vision is affected first but eventually the entire vision will be lost if not treated. Diagnosis is made by looking for cupping of the optic nerve.

Angle-closure (acute) glaucoma is caused by a shift in the position of the iris of the eye that suddenly blocks the exit of the aqueous humor fluid. This causes a quick, severe, and painful rise in the pressure within the eye (intraocular pressure). Angle-closure glaucoma is an emergency. This is very different from open-angle glaucoma, which painlessly and slowly damages vision.

Symptoms

Glaucoma is often referred to as the “silent thief of sight,” because most types typically cause no pain and produce no symptoms. For this reason, glaucoma often progresses undetected until the optic nerve already has been irreversibly damaged, with varying degrees of permanent vision loss.

Neovascular glaucoma results from abnormal blood vessel growth that blocks the fluid drainage channels of the eye, resulting in increased eye pressure. Low blood supply to the eye as a result of diabetes, insufficient flow of blood to the head due to blocked arteries in the neck, or blockage of blood vessels in the back of the eye can cause the abnormal blood vessel growth.

Treatment

The treatment of glaucoma is aimed at reducing intraocular pressure by improving aqueous outflow, reducing the production of aqueous, or both. Doctors accomplish these treatment goals with eyedrops, systemic medications, laser treatment, surgery, or a combination of treatments. If your doctor determines that you have elevated intraocular pressure , an excavated optic disk and loss of visual field, you’ll likely be treated for glaucoma. If you have only slightly elevated eye pressure, an undamaged optic nerve and no visual field loss, you may not need treatment, but your doctor may advise more frequent examinations to detect any future changes.

Glaucoma. Such fear-inducing word when it comes to our vision, or lack there of. Although no one really likes getting the puff-of-air test during their eye exam, they all would take that over being diagnosed with glaucoma later, no doubt.

But what is glaucoma really? Most folks just hear the word and think ?can?t see anymore?. That may be the case if it is never treated but a lot happens before blindness actually would occur. In truth, glaucoma is an increase in intraocular pressure in the eye including behind the cornea. Over time, if left untreated, that pressure can rise to dangerous levels and damage your optic nerve. This damage can result, initially, in decreased peripheral vision. If still untreated, blindness can be the final result.

The build up in pressure can stem from a disease such as diabetes, or it may not be draining properly. Either way, it indicates a problem that your ophthalmologist should be treating. If you aren?t getting your eyes checked regularly, it may be too late to stop the disease once you finally notice symptoms such as your peripheral vision getting worse.

As for the cornea, it is normally thick enough to maintain its curve against the pressure. Some people, however, have thinner corneas. Thin corneas are not good candidates for LASIK surgery for exactly that reason ? they are thin. The LASIK procedure requires that a little corneal tissue be removed. An already thin cornea may not have the ability to holds it own against the pressure of the naturally occurring eye fluids. You don?t want to weaken an already weak structure.

Glaucoma symptoms that your eye doctor can look for include:

• High intraocular pressure<br>
• Reduced visual fields<br>
• Damaged optic nerve<br>

Symptoms that you should be aware of include:

• Headaches when reading or entering a dark room<br>
• Haloes around lights<br>
• Misty vision<br>
• Eye aches after vigorous activity<br>
• Missing pieces in your visual field such as first letters of words<br>

These symptoms don?t automatically imply that you have glaucoma but they certainly indicate that a visit to your eye doctor is warranted sooner rather than later. Treatments are available and can be as simple as using prescription eye drops on a strict basis or as serious as glaucoma surgery.

Take good care of your eyesight. It is a sense that people greatly miss when they lose it. Pay attention to how your eyes feel and how you see what is around you. And, of course, visit your optometrist or ophthalmologist regularly. They are the experts and can help with whatever may happen.

Eye diseases are becoming more prevalent and statistics indicate that the percentage of sufferers is still on the rise. The only proven method for treatment of glaucoma is reduction of pressure in the eyes. Therefore, all treatments are designed to reduce the level of intraocular pressure. This goal can be achieved by a variety of means including eye drops, tablets, laser treatments and surgery. In order to protect your vision, it is necessary to seek treatment if you have any symptoms of glaucoma, in case the loss of vision gets worse.

Symptoms of glaucoma

Even if you display no symptoms of glaucoma(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/Glaucoma.html), there is still a possibility that you have it. There have been numerous such cases, where people are suffering from the condition without showing any signs of it. Glaucoma is a result of high pressure in eyes, but how does this come about? The condition occurs when the draining and producing of fluid in the eye is out of balance. When the eye produces too much fluid, or fluid cannot drain out, eye pressure will rise and glaucoma will strike. The tougher the pressure is, the severer the glaucoma would become. Even if you only experience low pressure, if you don’t seek glaucoma treatment, the pressure may become uncontrollable and you may would gradually lose your vision if not treated in a timely way.

Types of glaucoma treatments

Even for some who do not have vision problems, it may necessary to be tested for glaucoma as the condition can become worse without being noticed. Take precautions to prevent it, especially as you age or if glaucoma is in your family. A certain kind of diet matched with glaucoma prevention might be what you need.

Most glaucoma treatments(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/Glaucoma.html) aim to reduce the pressure in the eyes. You can choose your proper treatment by consulting with your doctor. Usually eye drops are the first choice over other treatments, and they have been proven effective in reducing eye pressure. Actually you may be prescribed more than one kind of eye drop, and using multiple types can enhance the treatment, according to research.. Eye drops act two ways: one way is to reduce the amount of fluid produced in the eyes; the other is to open the drainage channels to let the excess liquid drain away. The two ways are different in approach but equally satisfactory in result. These kind of treatments would work for those with slight glaucoma, but if they don’t, you would probably be advised to undergo laser treatment or surgery. In terms of laser treatment, different technologies are used according to individual needs. And don’t forget about natural eye healthy practices. Diest containing lots of fruits and vegetables may be effective in easing glaucoma. Likewise, food abundant in vitamin C is a helpful for the natural treatment of glaucoma(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/Glaucoma.html).

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Glaucoma has been called the ?sneaky thief of sight.? Victims of this eye disease experience gradual vision loss that may not be recognized until it?s too late. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. If your family has a history of glaucoma, you have a 6% chance of developing the disease as well.

Glaucoma Effects

Pressure builds up inside the eye of the glaucoma patient. If treatment is not administered early, the optic nerve is damaged and vision begins to fade resulting in blindness.

Glaucoma Types

There are several types of glaucoma.

Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease and heredity is the most common factor.

? Open-angle glaucoma is caused by pressure build-up due to clogged drainage canals of the eye preventing fluid to flow out of the eye.

? Vision loss is gradual and can be treated with medication if caught early.

? It is vital that people over 40 have regular eye exams to measure intra-ocular eye pressure, especially if your parents or siblings have the disease.

Angle-closure glaucoma can progress gradually or suddenly. The iris blocks the drainage canals causing blurred vision, ?rainbows? around lights, eye pain, headaches and nausea. Surgery relieves fluid trapped within the eye resulting in a long term or permanent solution. Other symptoms include the following:

? Halos, blurry or cloudy 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, headache

Normal tension glaucoma can be treated with surgery or medication.

? The patient?s eye pressure is normal but the optic nerve is damaged.

? Cardiovascular disease can increase the risk of this form of glaucoma.

Congenital glaucoma occurs in babies when the eye doesn?t develop properly in uterine.

Secondary glaucoma is caused by disease, injury or other eye problems.

Other Risk Factors for Glaucoma

Anyone is susceptible to losing his or her eyesight from this devastating disease. Heredity plays a big role but there are other common factors that elevate risk.

• High blood pressure
• Low blood pressure for people 60 and over

Race:

? African Americans 40 and over ? glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness

? Hispanics 60 and over have a higher risk of open angle glaucoma

? Asian & Eskimo descent have a higher risk of closed angle glaucoma

? Japanese Americans have a higher risk of normal tension glaucoma

Age

? Risk rises significantly for people aged 40 and over

? 60 and over are 6-times more likely than others to develop glaucoma

• Diabetes ? doubles the risk

Injuries

? Dislocated lens retinal detachment

? Eye tumor

Eye problems

? Myopia ? extreme nearsightedness

? Hyperopia ? extreme farsightedness

? Thin corneas

• Steroid use

Many people who have the desire for Lasik surgery are worried about getting it, because they also have glaucoma. They become concerned that they will damage their eyes through Lasik or that the procedure will make their glaucoma worse. While it is understandable that a person is worried about his or her eyesight and wants to protect it, many concerns about Lasik can be alleviated by talking to an eye doctor and having one?s questions answered. By doing this, a patient can make the best and most informed decision, leading to the best outcome, whatever the decision is.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes a gradual loss of vision. It is generally caused by high intraocular pressure (the pressure inside the eye). However, it is important to remember that the thickness of a person?s cornea and other factors can affect eye pressure. What is high to one person might not be high to another person, so checking it over time and watching carefully for any damage or risk factors is important. High intraocular pressure that is uncontrolled and not ?normal? for a person — someone with thicker corneas, for example, will generally have higher eye pressure — can cause a deterioration of the optic nerve. A person will notice that their peripheral vision becomes less and less, and eventually, if not treated, the person will be looking ?through a tunnel? before losing vision completely.

There is Good News

There is some good news on two fronts. First, glaucoma is treatable. Once vision is lost, it cannot be recovered. However, the vision that has not yet been lost can be saved through prescription medications that stop or drastically slow the progression of the disease. Second, there is no evidence that Lasik surgery either causes glaucoma or makes it worse. The Lasik procedure deals with the cornea of the eye, as opposed to dealing with the inside of the eye. Since the intraocular pressure is inside the eye, it is not affected by it. The only ?concern? is that the pressure in the eye after Lasik may read lower than it actually is, so an eye doctor should be made aware of this. Beyond that, however, there are no other concerns when it comes to Lasik and glaucoma.

The Lasik Procedure

The procedure that takes place during Lasik is a relatively simple one. The patient is given a sedative if needed, and anesthetic drops are placed in the eyes to numb them. The eye is held open with a gentle restraint and a flap is cut in the corner. Sometimes this is done with a blade, but more and more people are offering bladeless Lasik, meaning that the laser is used to cut the flap. After the flap is cut and folded back, the laser is used to reshape the inner layers of the cornea. When the laser is done, the corneal flap is put back into place and begins to heal almost immediately. Medicated eye drops are given to the patient to put in his or her eye, and specific after-care instructions are also given, so that the chance of any kind of complication will be reduced. The entire Lasik procedure takes about 15 minutes, and is considered to be extremely safe.

For more and more people, Lasik is becoming the option that they choose to correct their vision. It is much safer than it used to be, and there are fewer complications as well.

Recent studies indicate that laser eye surgery has now surpassed contact lenses for safety, which means more people will likely be getting the surgery. For example, for someone who has glaucoma, there is no need to worry about Lasik making it worse or causing any kind of problem.

Glaucoma is a disease involving the optic nerve that affects the loss of retinal ganglion cells. If glaucoma is left untreated it will eventually lead to permanent damage of the optic nerve and then blindness. Glaucoma is caused most commonly by intraocular pressure on the nerves in the eye. A damaged visual field can never be fixed or recaptured. Glaucoma is a tricky disease because its progression is so slow. It can gradually wear down one’s eyesight without the person noticing much of a difference and once the disease is detected; there isn’t much a doctor can do to prevent it from getting worse, because it was detected at such a late stage.

People with ocular pressure, diabetes, and African American decent are three times more likely than others to develop Glaucoma. People that have a family history of Glaucoma have a six percent chance to develop the disease than people without a family history of it. The use of steroids has also been linked to the development of Glaucoma. Studies have also shown, in rare cases, that Glaucoma could be linked to hypertension (high blood pressure).

Glaucoma is usually diagnosed after a routine eye examination with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. The doctor will test the eye for changes in intraocular pressure, changes in the size or shape of the eye and an examination of the optic nerve. Glaucoma could also be examined by looking at the patient’s background; their sex, race, history of drug use, refraction, inheritance and family history. The majority of treatments for Glaucoma is the continued use of eye drops to help lower the level of intraocular pressure.

There is yet to be a cure for Glaucoma but surgery is one way to treat the disease. The surgery will help to lower intraocular pressure by allowing fluid to leave the eye after a hole has been opened up in the meshwork. Surgery can be performed with a laser or conventionally. A patient could also undergo a canaloplasty. A canaloplasty is when the Schlemm Canal is opened, allowing fluids to flow freely, ultimately lowering the pressure of the eye. Glaucoma patients that don’t respond to these normal treatments could look into Glaucoma drainage implants. This is the final option for patients if the eye does not respond to any other treatment. A flow tube is inserted in the eye to allow for fluid to flow out of the eye, thus lowering the intraocular pressure.

There are a handful of different stages of Glaucoma. They are primary, developmental, secondary and absolute Glaucoma. All of these stages develop over time and can eventually lead to blindness if the disease is not treated properly. Not all people with elevated pressure in the eye develop Glaucoma. Some patients of Glaucoma have developed the disease without elevated pressure in the eye. This could just be from their family history. In fact, the most common type of Glaucoma disease is hereditary. Everyone is at risk for the disease and in most cases there are little to no symptoms.