Glaucoma​

Open-angle glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease. The drainage angle formed by the cornea and iris remains open, but the trabecular meshwork is partially blocked. This causes pressure in the eye to gradually increase. This pressure damages the optic nerve. It happens so slowly that you may lose vision before you're even aware of a problem.

• Patchy blind spots in your side (peripheral) or central vision
  

• Tunnel vision in the advanced stages
  

Acute angle-closure glaucoma

When the iris bulges forward to narrow or block the drainage angle formed by the cornea and iris, Angle-closure glaucoma, also called closed-angle glaucoma occurs.  As a result, fluid can't circulate through the eye and pressure increases. 

Angle-closure glaucoma may occur suddenly (acute angle-closure glaucoma) or gradually (chronic angle-closure glaucoma). Acute angle glaucoma is a medical emergency. It can be triggered due to the sudden dilation of your pupils.

• Severe headache
  

• Pain in the eye
  

• Nausea and vomiting
  

• Blurry vision
  

• Halos around lights
  

• Redness of the eye​

​Promptly rush to the Department of Emergency Medicine​ at The Aga Khan University Hospital or an ophthalmologist's office at the Department of Opthalmology and Visual Sciences​ of The Aga Khan University Hospital if you experience some of the symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma, such as severe headache, eye pain and blurred vision.

The Department of Opthalmology and Visual Sciences​ at The Aga Khan University Hospital offers comprehensive glaucoma care and second opinion consultations for all forms of glaucoma. Our staff often provides evaluations of diagnosis or treatment options to patients when these are requested by the eye physicians or when patients desire our opinion themselves.

We, at The Aga Khan University Hospital care for infants and children, adults, and all forms of glaucoma, whether primary or related to complex eye problems. Medical treatment, laser therapies, and surgical procedures for glaucoma are available.

Our Department of Opthalmology and Visual Sciences​ specialists are studying new methods to improve glaucoma care, including stem cell research, gene therapy, preventive programs for glaucoma worldwide, improved diagnostic imaging, and methods to make glaucoma surgery safer. ​

​Your time with your doctor maybe limited, so make sure to prepare for your visit beforehand. Here are some tips to help get you started.​​

The Aga Khan University Hospital glaucoma staff specializes in the diagnosis and the medical and surgical management of primary, secondary and complicated glaucoma in patients of all ages. The goal of our doctors in the treatment of glaucoma is to prevent further vision loss by controlling pressure in the eye similar to controlling blood pressure to prevent a stroke. There are several ways in which glaucoma can be successfully treated. Various tests and diagnosis methods are carried out by our highly trained staff at the Department of Opthalmology and Visual Sciences​ of The Aga Khan University Hospital. Depending upon your condition and by the recommendation of your specialist, the tests may include:

• Medications, in the form of eye drops or pills, lower pressure by reducing the amount of fluid produced in the eye, and by increasing drainage. One or more medicines may be used at the same time.
  

• Laser therapy, performed on an outpatient basis, is used to reduce pressure in the eye. A procedure called laser trabeculoplasty improves fluid drainage in patients with open-angle glaucoma. People with closed-angle glaucoma usually must be treated with a procedure called laser iridotomy, which creates a tiny opening in the iris (coloured part of the eye), allowing the drainage angle to open.
  

• Surgery may be needed to create a second drainage channel in the eye to supplement the natural one. Glaucoma surgery is usually performed on an outpatient basis using local anaesthesia, and may allow the patient to reduce or eliminate glaucoma medications.
  

• For more advanced cases, an artificial glaucoma drainage implant may help to decrease pressure. The implant helps to drain excess fluid, which is then absorbed into the body.​

​

Patients benefit from our state-of-the-art glaucoma testing capabilities and technology at the Department of Op​hthalmology and Visual Sciences​ at The Aga Khan University Hospital including automated visual field testing, retinal nerve fibre layer photography, stereoscopic disc photography and computerized optic disc analysis. Treatment options include the latest topical medications, glaucoma implants, laser therapy, glaucoma filtration surgery, cataract surgery and combined glaucoma/cataract surgery. Other services also include 

• Eye drops. Glaucoma treatment often starts with prescription eye drops. These can help decrease eye pressure by improving how fluid drains from your eye or by decreasing the amount of fluid your eye makes.
  

• Filtering surgery: With a surgical procedure called a trabeculectomy, the surgeon creates an opening in the white of the eye (sclera) and removes part of the trabecular meshwork.
  

• Drainage tubes: In this procedure, your eye surgeon inserts a small tube in your eye.​

• Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT): SLT is a simple, non-invasive laser procedure used to lower eye pressure (intraocular pressure or IOP) for patients at risk or with open-angle glaucoma.​
  

​The Aga Khan University Hospital offers various support services to help with managing or recovering from the disease or condition. These include but are not limited to nutrition, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, specialized clinics and some patient support groups. Your doctor or nurse will advise you accordingly.

The Aga Khan University Hospital offers financial assistance to those who are in need and fulfil the eligibility criteria. For further information, you can contact the Patient Welfare Department. You can find the contact number of the Patient Welfare Department in the ‘Important Numbers’ section on the website homepage.

The financial counselling staff is available during office hours, at the main PBSD (Patient Business Services Department), to answer your financial queries on treatments’ costs and authorize admissions on partial deposit as per hospital policies allow. The financial counsellor in the emergency room is open 24/7. You can find the contact number of the Patient Business Services in the ‘Important Numbers’ section on the website homepage.​