GLAUCOMA “the silent thief of sight”
Glaucoma is a condition that damages your eye’s optic nerve, and it gets worse over time. It’s often linked to a buildup of pressure inside your eye.
The increased pressure in your eye, called intraocular pressure, can damage your optic nerve that sends images to your brain. If the damage worsens, glaucoma can cause permanent vision loss or even total blindness within a few years.
Symptoms
The symptoms of glaucoma depend on the type and stage of your condition.
Open-angle glaucoma
- No symptoms in early stages
- Gradually, patchy blind spots in your side vision. Side vision also is known as peripheral vision
- In later stages, difficulty seeing things in your central vision
Acute angle-closure glaucoma
- Severe headache
- Severe eye pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Blurred vision
- Halos or colored rings around lights
- Eye redness
Normal-tension glaucoma
- No symptoms in early stages
- Gradually, blurred vision
- In later stages, loss of side vision
Glaucoma in children
- A dull or cloudy eye (infants)
- Increased blinking (infants)
- Tears without crying (infants)
- Blurred vision
- Nearsightedness that gets worse
- Headache
Pigmentary glaucoma
- Halos around lights
- Blurred vision with exercise
- Gradual loss of side vision
Causes
The fluid inside your eye, called aqueous humor, usually flows out of your eye through a mesh-like channel. If this channel gets blocked or the eye is producing too much fluid, the liquid builds up. Sometimes, experts don’t know what causes this blockage, but it can be inherited, meaning it’s passed from parents to children.
Less-common causes of glaucoma include a blunt or chemical injury to your eye, severe eye infection, blocked blood vessels inside your eye, and inflammatory conditions
Risk factors
Glaucoma can damage vision before you notice any symptoms. So be aware of these risk factors:
- High internal eye pressure, also known as intraocular pressure
- Age over 55
- Black, Asian or Hispanic heritage
- Family history of glaucoma
- Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure and sickle cell anemia
- Corneas that are thin in the center
- Extreme nearsightedness or farsightedness
- Eye injury or certain types of eye surgery
- Taking corticosteroid medicines, especially eye drops, for a long time
Some people have narrow drainage angles, putting them at increased risk of angle-closure glaucoma.
Two Major Types of Glaucoma as per Ayurveda
Vataja Adhimanta:
Vataja Adhimanta emerges from the imbalanced state of Vata Dosha, which is accountable for bodily movement and dryness. This imbalance affects the nerves, muscles, and bones of the eyes, leading to their weakening and increased fragility. Symptoms associated with Vataja Adhimanta include:
- Dryness and roughness of the eyes
- Tinnitus or noise in the ears
- Pain experienced in the eyebrows, forehead, and other related areas
- The presence of debris and congested tissue in the eyes
- Loss of peripheral vision or tunnel vision
Pittaja Adhimanta:
Pittaja Adhimanta stems from the aggravation of Pitta Dosha, which controls heat and metabolic procedures within the body. This imbalance manifests in symptoms such as:
- Redness and the sensation of burning in the eyes
- Swelling and inflammation of the eyelids
- Perception of objects appearing yellowish
- Sudden elevation in eye pressure accompanied by pain
- Sensations of dizziness and burning in the head
The panchakarma therapies of Ayurveda to treat glaucoma include:
Netra Basti or Netra Tarpana
Netra Tarpana is made up of two Sanskrit words, “Netra”, meaning eyes and “Tarpana”, meaning rehydration. It is a special ayurvedic treatment to soothe, nourish, and heal the eyes. It helps strengthen your optic nerve, eliminate pain, and relax.
- In this ayurvedic treatment for glaucoma, a circular structure is constructed around the eyes with the help of dough.
- Medicated ghee is then poured over the eyes enclosed in the dough rings.
- The medicated ghee is left in place for about 20 minutes.
Kashayam Dhara
Kashayam Dhara is made up of two words, “Kashayam”, meaning decoction and “Dhara”, meaning continuous flow. This ayurvedic treatment for glaucoma involves pouring a cool herbal portion on the forehead and certain parts of your head and face for a powerful healing effect on the eyes
Netradhara
It is made up of two words, “Netra”, meaning eyes and “Dhara”, meaning continuous flow. The procedure includes washing the eyes using herbal decoction. The therapy benefits a wide range of eye disorders, including glaucoma. It soothes and relaxes strained eyes and improves eyesight. The therapist continuously pours herbal decoction with preventive and curative properties over the entire eye.
