Blurred Vision and Glaucoma

Blurred vision is a lack of sharpness as a result the person is enable to see fine details or small objects. Blurred vision can occur when a person who wears corrective lens is without them. Blurred vision can also be a sign of various eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, age related macular degeneration, diabetes, retinal detachment, brain tumor, or optic nerve damage.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by damage to the optic nerve. (optic nerve carries images from retina, which is the specialized light sensing tissue, to the brain so we can see) usually due to high intraocular pressure. If untreated, it can lead to optic nerve damage resulting in progressive, permanent vision loss. It is a leading cause of preventable blindness among people, especially in America and Africa. The risk of glaucoma increases dramatically with age. But it can strike any age group, even newborn infants and fetuses.

Glaucoma can be classified in two categories: Chronic Open angle Glaucoma and Narrow angle closure glaucoma.

Chronic Open angle Glaucoma: It is the most common form of Glaucoma. The "open "drainage angle of the eye can become blocked leading to gradual increase in eye pressure. This increase results in optic nerve damage.

Narrow angle Closure Glaucoma: It is caused when contact between the iris and trabecular meshwork, which in turn obstructs outflow of aqueous humor from the eye, as a result the drainage angle of the eye narrows and becomes completely blocked. When the drainage angle of the eye suddenly becomes completely blocked pressure builds up naturally and this is called acute angle closure glaucoma. The symptoms include severe eye pain, blurred vision, headache, nausea and vomiting.

The treatment of glaucoma depends upon the nature and severity of each case. In general glaucoma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled. Eye drops, pills, laser procedures and surgical operations are used to prevent or slow down further damage.

By Pauline Go

Glaucoma - Symptoms of Glaucoma

There are two major types of glaucoma: open-angle glaucoma and acute closed-angle glaucoma. Most glaucoma patients have open-angle glaucoma. There are usually no signs or symptoms in the early stages of open-angle glaucoma. The first sign is usually loss of vision, which is why the disease is sometimes referred to as the "sneak thief of sight." Vision loss caused by glaucoma cannot be restored.

Primary open-angle glaucoma progresses with few or no symptoms until the condition reaches an advanced stage. As increased eye pressure continues to damage your optic nerve, you lose more and more of your peripheral vision. If glaucoma is left untreated, you can develop tunnel vision and eventually lose all sight. Open-angle glaucoma usually affects both eyes, although at first you may have vision loss in just one eye.

Chronic glaucoma is insidious. If the pressure increases slowly, it will not produce any symptoms until it has done irreversible damage. In such cases, people may notice visual problems at first only when light is dim. Patients are often sensitive to glare. Most people with glaucoma do not notice symptoms until they begin to have significant vision loss. As optic nerve fibers are damaged by glaucoma, small blind spots may begin to develop, usually in the peripheral or side vision.

Congenital glaucoma It can be difficult to recognise symptoms of congenital glaucoma. If your baby or child has cloudy, white, hazy, enlarged or protruding eyes you should make an appointment to see your doctor immediately.
Warning signs of glaucoma are different for each form. Glaucoma is usually not noticeable until significant damage has been done to the optic nerves. With open-angle glaucoma, the most common form, an increase in intraocular pressure and loss in peripheral vision are key signs. A tonometer is an instrument that measures pressure inside the eye. It can show abnormal pressure that causes damage to optic nerves.

Closed-angle glaucoma, sometimes known as acute glaucoma, differs from open-angle in that the symptoms typically occur suddenly (although not always). The symptoms may include blurred vision, formation of halos around lights at night, pain and redness in the eye, and swelling and clouding of the cornea (the typically clear and transparent coating layer of the outer eyeball). The pain experienced can be so intense that it may cause nausea and vomiting or a headache.

It consists of a 10-item scale developed from the symptom checklist that was created for the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS). All items in the GSS address eye complaints, some of a non-visual nature and some of a visual nature, common to patients with glaucoma. The Glaucoma Symptom Scale measures symptoms of glaucoma as well as symptoms of glaucoma treatment. It provides a valid and reliable estimate of symptoms associated with glaucoma the normal score is 100 and implies absence of all glaucoma related symptoms.

Acute glaucoma tends to come on very quickly. Symptoms include pain and blurred vision. Some people also feel sick, faint and vomit. In the early stages you may see misty rainbow coloured rings around white lights. If you think you are having an attack of acute glaucoma, you should go to hospital immediately.

Open angle glaucoma usually produces slow loss of peripheral vision. There are often blind spots. Closed angle glaucoma usually produce sudden eye pain or headache. There may be nausea and vomiting. The eye is red, and there is blurred vision. Colored halos appear around bright objects.
Corwin Brown

10 Powerful Herbal Remedies For Weak Eyesight

Eyes are perhaps the most precious organ of ours. We can see this colorful world and appreciate its beauty only because we have vision. Weakening of eyesight is a pathetic problem. Normally eyes weaken with age but there are several other factors and conditions that can weaken your eyesight. For example, overexposure to sunlight, excessive fatigue, intake of medications for hypertension, tuberculosis, malaria etc can lead to weakening of eyes. The eye-related conditions resulting in weakened eyesight are cataract, glaucoma, presbyopia, retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, optic neuritis, eye infection etc. Stroke, migraine headaches, brain tumor can also cause problems with vision.
A person with weak eyesight will have problem in visualizing distant objects or small objects. The other symptoms of weak eyesight are blurring of visions, seeing halos, floaters, light sensitivity, light flashes or blind spots, poor nighttime vision, frequent headache and so on.
Herbal Remedies:
1. Bilberry is a wonder herb for improving eyesight. It is very effective for improving night vision. It contains flavonoid that checks retinal damage and capillary fragility.
2. Gingko biloba triggers blood flow to the retina and averts retinal deterioration. In that way it checks the weakening of eyesight.
3. Passion flower is a herb very effective for eyes exposed to continual strain. It relaxes the fine blood vessels within the eyes and leaves a soothing impact.
4. For treating an infected or inflamed eye you can use herbs like goldenseal or eye bright. Eye washes made from these herbs are quite beneficial.
5. Grind dried chicory root to make a powder. Mix half teaspoon of the powder with half teaspoon honey and half teaspoon cow milk
butter. Consume this paste once or twice with milk. This is an effective herbal remedy for weak eyesight.
6. Drink a cup of wild rose tea everyday. The high amounts of Vitamin C, A, P, B1 and B2 in wild rose helps to maintain eye muscle elasticity.
7. Green spinach has a perfect blend of eye nourishing vitamins. Therefore it is a good herbal cure for weak eyesight.
8. The herb hawthorn is rich in flavonoid and carotenoid. It improves blood circulation within the eyes and lowers the risk of nearsightedness.
9. Mingle rose water and potash alum to make an effective eye wash or eye drop
10. Mix 3 teaspoon Aloe juice with half teaspoon clove oil, add 4 oz water to it and take the mixture in the morning on empty stomach. This will improve your eyesight.
So these are some of the herbal remedies for weak eyesight.

JHON NAPIER