Glaucoma

Written by: Wahida Sabir

Ocular hypertension is a condition where the pressure in your eyes is too high. Continually high pressure within the eye can eventually damage the optic nerve and lead to glaucoma or permanent vision loss. 

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some patients and a physician about this disease.

Matiullah, a resident of Kabul province says, “I was suffering from irritation and pain of my eyes and I was gradually losing my eyesight. When the doctor checked my eyes, he said that I was faced with glaucoma.”  

Mullah Muhammad, a resident of Maidan-Wardak province says, “I am faced with glaucoma. Water comes from my eyes and I always suffer from a headache.”

Doctor Wali Nadir, an Ophthalmologist at Noor Eye Hospital, Kabul city says, “There are several types of glaucoma. The two main types are open-angle and angle-closure. These are marked by an increase of intraocular pressure or pressure inside the eye. The symptoms of glaucoma are severe eye pain; nausea and vomiting (accompanying the severe eye pain); sudden onset of visual disturbance, often in low light; blurred vision; halos around lights and redness of eyes.If not treated on time, the patient might lose his/her eyes sight.”

What do people think about the causes of this disease?

A woman from Logar province says, “My son was playing slingshot with other children and a child hit my child’s eye with a stone and now he is suffering from glaucoma.”

Ajabgul, a resident of Maidan-Wardak province says, “When someone hit his eye with something hard, he/she faces with glaucoma.”

Doctor Wali Nadir says, “The fluid inside your eye, usually flows out of your eye through a mesh-like channel. If this channel gets blocked, the liquid builds up. It can be inherited, means 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 and diabetes.”

How do people treat this disease?

Alhaj Saidagul, a resident of Kabul city says, “When I faced this disease, I went to the doctor and the doctor advised me some eye drops and after 3 days, he asked me to come for eye surgery.”

A patient, Ismatullah at Noor Eye hospital says, “I was suffering from glaucoma and the physician operated my eyes and now I could see everything.”

Doctor Wali Nadir says, “Glaucoma has two types of treatment, surgery and medication. The physician would decide whether to have surgery or to recommend medicines. The medication would not help the patient to regain his/her eyesight but it could control and not lets the disease increase and lose eyesight.”

How do people prevent glaucoma?

Asif, a resident of Shakardara district, Kabul province says, “I am apprenticing with a metalworker and I always put on my special glasses during work to prevent my eyes from damage.”

Pacha Mir, a resident Qarabagh district, Kabul province says, “I am a gardener and I wear safety glasses when I cut the branches of trees.”

Doctor Wali Nadir says, “The patient should not use a single type of eye drops for all the time; he/she should control diabetes and those whose parents have the same disease should regularly check their eyes after the age of 40 and avoid eye drops and medicines without the prescription of the ophthalmologists.”