Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye disease that can cause blindness. If caught early, however, it can usually be controlled. But because glaucoma often has no symptoms, it's important to see your eye doctor for regular exams.The disease usually begins when pressure builds up in the eye that can damage the optic nerve. If the nerve is damaged, it cannot send messages to the brain. There are two main kinds of glaucoma:* Open-angle glaucoma is the most common kind, occurring slowly as people age. The drainage area in the eye becomes clogged.

Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults 20 to 74 years old. Dr. Michael Grodin, co-director of retinal services and director of clinical research at Katzen Eye Group, discusses eye problems and the link to diabetes. Why is blindness from diabetes becoming so prevalent? As the number of people with diabetes is sharply rising, more people are developing complications like diabetic retinopathy — damage to the retina caused by diabetes. From 2000 to 2010, there was an 89 percent increase in the number of people with diabetic retinopathy, which is almost 7.7 million people.

A screening billed as the first online glaucoma test to receive federal clearance will be offered free during the next week to promote low vision awareness month. The test will be available at lighthouse.org/glaucoma through Wednesday, according to Jeanine Moss, communications director for the nonprofit Lighthouse International, based in Manhattan. The organization, which works for vision rehabilitation, and the test developer are sponsoring the site. Glaucoma is a chronic, degenerative disease that causes silent, irreversible damage to the optic nerve and can lead to blindness.

County Council Chairman Calvin Ball and the Health Department are co-hosting the county's third annual men's health fair June 4. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Howard High School in Ellicott City. "The goal is to increase the awareness of ongoing health topics related to men and provide prevention and detection opportunities as well as resources for living a healthy lifestyle to attendees," according to a news release. The health fair will include free screenings for blood pressure, body mass index, prostate cancer, kidney evaluations, bone density, glaucoma, vision, skin irregularities and more..

I have glaucoma, diagnosed about 35 years ago. I loved black licorice, but it raised my eye pressure nearly off the charts. A pharmacist friend was curious to see what caused it to rise so rapidly when it had been under control. He discovered that it was due to the licorice. All people with glaucoma should be warned. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) has been used medicinally for coughs, digestive problems and inflammation. It is also used to flavor candy and chewing tobacco. But licorice has some potentially serious side effects, including fluid retention, potassium depletion and high blood pressure.

Researchers have identified two mutant forms of a single gene that are responsible for 99 percent of all cases of a common form of glaucoma, which is second only to cataracts as the leading cause of blindness in the world. The genes cause a specific form of the disease called "exfoliative glaucoma," characterized by the buildup of a protein called elastin in the ducts that drain excess fluid from the eye. The subsequent buildup of fluid causes pressure on the optic nerve, eventually leading to blindness.

Q: My eye doctor has just started me on eye drops for glaucoma. He warned me that there can be some side effects, but I have forgotten what they are. It may not be a side effect, but putting the drops in my eyes twice a day is not a pleasant prospect. Can't I take some kind of pill instead?A: Glaucoma damages the optic nerve and leads to a progressive loss of vision if untreated. In most cases glaucoma is due to increased pressure within the eye (intraocular pressure or IOP). Glaucoma cannot be cured and prevention of optic nerve )

Glaucoma, a disease of the optic nerve that, left untreated, can cause blindness, occurs in approximately 1 percent to 2 percent of the population over the age of 40, says Dr. Donald Abrams, chief of Sinai Hospital's Department of Ophthalmology based at the Krieger Eye Institute. However, in some populations, such as among African-Americans, the disease occurs more frequently; and in some age groups, it can occur in 6 percent to 10 percent of the population. But the disease often goes undiscovered - and untreated.

The optic nerves of American blacks may be more susceptible than those of whites to internal eye pressures associated with glaucoma, say the authors of a new Johns Hopkins study.The study identified a dramatic difference in the prevalence of the blinding disease in blacks.American blacks have the disease at a rate four to five times higher than whites, investigators at the Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology at the Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute saidtoday in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

About 200 kindergartners and first-graders sat on the gym floor and listened to a story that connected some disparate threads: a cat, the holidays and combating eye disease. The students at Youth's Benefit Elementary School in Fallston assembled recently to hear Samuel Polakoff read a story told from a cat's point of view about two families who come together in the spirit of Christmas. "I had the idea for a children's story, and I wanted to do more to raise money for glaucoma," the author said after the assembly.

Glaucoma, a disease of the optic nerve that, left untreated, can cause blindness, occurs in approximately 1 percent to 2 percent of the population over the age of 40, says Dr. Donald Abrams, chief of Sinai Hospital's Department of Ophthalmology based at the Krieger Eye Institute. However, in some populations, such as among African-Americans, the disease occurs more frequently; and in some age groups, it can occur in 6 percent to 10 percent of the population. But the disease often goes undiscovered - and untreated.

Dr. Samuel Boles Medical director and ophthalmologist Anne Arundel Eye Center, Annapolis Salary : $150,000 Age : 46 Years on the job : One How he got started: Boles received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia, obtaining his certification in 1989. His post-doctoral training included an internship with Yale University, a cornea research fellowship at Harvard University and residency at George Washington University. He later worked as a glaucoma fellow and clinical instructor with the University of California, San Diego.

Many people in Baltimore are at risk for the eye disease glaucoma, and a coalition of public and private health care providers and organizations plans to offer free screenings to find those with the condition and help them get treatment. About 70 million people worldwide and 3 million Americans have glaucoma, which can cause blindness. But only about half know, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, one of the groups sponsoring the screenings that begin Tuesday.

About 200 kindergartners and first-graders sat on the gym floor and listened to a story that connected some disparate threads: a cat, the holidays and combating eye disease. The students at Youth's Benefit Elementary School in Fallston assembled recently to hear Samuel Polakoff read a story told from a cat's point of view about two families who come together in the spirit of Christmas. "I had the idea for a children's story, and I wanted to do more to raise money for glaucoma," the author said after the assembly.

Researchers have identified two mutant forms of a single gene that are responsible for 99 percent of all cases of a common form of glaucoma, which is second only to cataracts as the leading cause of blindness in the world. The genes cause a specific form of the disease called "exfoliative glaucoma," characterized by the buildup of a protein called elastin in the ducts that drain excess fluid from the eye. The subsequent buildup of fluid causes pressure on the optic nerve, eventually leading to blindness.

At the time of its introduction in the early '90s, Prilosec came out under a different brand name. The original name was so similar to an existing drug that the makers changed its name to Prilosec. What was the first brand name? When omeprazole was first introduced, it was called Losec. The Food and Drug Administration worried that this name might be confused with the diuretic Lasix and requested a name change to Prilosec in the United States. This drug is still sold under the name Losec in other countries, including Canada.

Leave it to Kirby Puckett, formerly one of baseball's most unselfish players, to turn his own vision loss into a potential gain for others.Puckett will be appearing at various locations throughout the Baltimore area today, including Camden Yards, on behalf of the "Don't Be Blindsided" program to educate the public on the importance of regular glaucoma screenings. It's a subject Puckett holds near to his heart, bringing the same passion that helped define his 12 seasons with the Minnesota Twins.

Minnesota Twins star Kirby Puckett, on the disabled list with blurred vision in his right eye, is suffering from a treatable form of glaucoma, but Baltimore eye specialist Dr. Burt Glaser said yesterday it is too early to tell whether the veteran outfielder will be able to continue his baseball career.Puckett developed severely impaired vision during spring training and traveled to Baltimore two weeks ago to be examined by Glaser, a pre-eminent eye specialist at The Retina Institute. Tests revealed retinal damage that was caused by a blocked artery in Puckett's right eye, the result of an early stage of glaucoma -- an abnormal increase in the pressure inside the eyes that can cause irreversible damage to the optic nerve if left untreated.

Do nasal steroids taken for allergies cause eye problems? Steroids, especially those inhaled through the mouth to control asthma and those taken orally or intravenously for conditions such as arthritis and emphysema, can cause side effects in the eye, including cataracts and glaucoma. But steroids such as Flonase, which are sniffed just through the nose, appear to be fairly safe for the eye. In fact, the most common side effects of nasal steroids are a burning sensation in the nose or bleeding, especially if steroids are sprayed directly on the septum, the cartilage-based tissue that divides the two nostrils, said Dr. Ralph Metson, a sinus surgeon at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Golf outing to help fight glaucoma The Polakoff Foundation will hold the Golf Outing to Fight Glaucoma on June 26 at Mountain Branch Golf Course in Joppa. Golfers can compete in hole-in-one, beat the pro, long drive and closest to the pin contests. A continental breakfast and lunch are included in the $165 fee. In addition, a glaucoma specialist will be on hand at both meals to discuss the disease and answer questions. Golfers and corporate sponsors are needed. The event is held by the Samuel R. and Denise F. Polakoff Foundation, a nonprofit corporation formed in January to raise funds, create awareness and make services available to glaucoma patients and those who may be at risk for glaucoma.