An acute attack of glaucoma is caused by a sudden increase in intraocular pressure. The intraocular pressure rises as the tidal angle is completely closed and the outflow of the aqueous humor is blocked. An increase in eye pressure may damage the optic nerve and cause visual impairment. Therefore, an acute attack of glaucoma requires immediate hospitalization.

An acute attack of glaucomamay also have a person who has never been diagnosed with glaucomaglaucoma . An acute attack of glaucoma, if not treated promptly, can even lead to blindness. Therefore, a patient with an acute attack of glaucoma should be hospitalized as soon as possible.

Acute attack of glaucoma: causes

An acute attack of glaucoma most often affects people who have eye defects that cause a narrowing of the trabecular angle - discharge from the eye cannot drain from the back of the eye to the front, which leads to an increase in eye pressure. In these people, an acute attack of glaucoma can be triggered by:

  • watching TV in a dark room, causing the pupil to dilate,
  • stress or excitement,
  • taking certain medications: eye drops to dilate the pupils, antidepressants, medications for nausea, vomiting or schizophrenia, medications for asthma, medications for allergies or stomach ulcers, and medications used under general anesthesia.

What you don't know about glaucoma

Acute attack of glaucoma: risk groups

The risk of developing an acute attack of glaucoma increases after the age of 40, but the group of greatest risk is those between the ages of 60 and 70. The acute attack of glaucoma affects far-sighted people and women more often. The likelihood of an attack increases when the disease has already existed in the family.

Acute attack of glaucoma: symptoms

An acute attack of glaucoma is very unpleasant and is accompanied by severe ailments, not only pain:

  • very severe pain in the eye and head with nausea, vomiting,
  • sudden blurring of the image, decrease in visual acuity,
  • rainbow circles appearing around light sources,
  • red eyeball,
  • dilated pupil,
  • eyeball feels as hard as a rock

Acute Glaucoma Attack: Treatment - Emergency Help

An acute attack of glaucoma requires immediatemedical intervention in a hospital. The patient is given drops to lower the pressure, drops to constrict the pupil, and medications to reduce the secretion of aqueous humor orally or intravenously.

Acute attack of glaucoma: proper treatment, i.e. iridotomy

The proper treatment that is carried out after pharmacological control of an acute attack of glaucoma is iridotomy. This is a laser procedure that involves making an opening in the iris to ensure the flow of aqueous humor between the anterior and posterior chambers. An iridotomy should also be performed in the other eye.

Category:

Eye diseases and vision disorders