3.7% Of those older than 70 years suffering from glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness worldwide.
March 12. Day world of Glaucoma.
-early detection is the most effective treatment against glaucoma, however half of the affected population, so unknown, since sentences it causes symptoms
– in our country, glaucoma affects one million people and its incidence increases with age, especially from the age of 60
-La SEGG advocates because there is a coordination between the family doctor, the geriatrician and the ophthalmologist to treat this disease and prevent irreversible blindness
Madrid, March of 2013.- on the occasion of the world Glaucoma day, which was held yesterday, the Spanish society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (SEGG) wants to emphasize the importance of early detection of this disease which affects more than one million people, only in our country, of which half is unknown to him.
the silent enemy
the main characteristic of glaucoma is the absence of symptoms, which explains the difficulty of detection. there are no symptoms or pain, the patient loses vision in a manner imperceptible and progressive ”, says Dr. Primitivo Ramos Cordero, a geriatrician and President of Madrid’s society of Geriatrics and Gerontology. lack of symptomatologymakes often find casual after a visit a specialist for another reason, and on other occasions when patients come to the consultation by perceived changes in your field of vision, it is already too late, because already there have been severe injuries, which are unfortunately irreversible ”, explains Dr. Ramos.
A neurodegenerative disease. Can be treated, but not cured
this eye disease is due to damage at the level of the head of the optic nerve, causing a disturbance of the visual field, and is usually associated with an increase in intraocular pressure. Today is considered a neurodegenerative disease since there is a death of ganglion cells of the retina. As with other diseases neurodegenerative, as for example Alzheimer’s, the success of the cure is linked to obtaining treatments able to protect and regenerate the cells.
As the disease evolves, produced a restriction of the field of vision from the periphery towards the inside, which is called vision tube ”. In 5% of cases, despite the correct medical or surgical treatment to control intraocular pressure, it leads to blindness irretrievably. Hence the importance of identifying and dealing with cases at an early stage, since in this way, the blindness could be avoided in more than 95% of the cases ” explains the doctor, Primitivo Ramos.
Age, risk factor
Although glaucoma can occur at any age, the fact is that the risk increases from age 60 with an incidence of 2.1%. This figure amounts to 2.3 per cent in people aged 60 to 69 and, once past 70, reached 3.5%.
But there are other risk factors such as diabetes, high intraocular pressure, a family history of glaucoma, high myopia, or high blood pressure. If you have any of these factors, should go to an ophthalmologist or optometrist to make revisions at least once year. In this sense, the SEGG advocates because there is a coordination between the family doctor, the geriatrician and the ophthalmologist to treat this disease and prevent irreversible blindness that affects older people, to a greater degree by diminishing their quality of life and personal autonomy.
on the SEGG
La Sociedad Española de GeriatrÃa y GerontologÃa is one of the most numerous and active European societies. Currently has more than 2,400 members of multidisciplinary areas: doctors (specialists in geriatrics, primary care, etc), sociologists, diploma in nursing, social workers, psychologists, educators, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, geographers, architects, economists, pharmaceutical …
for the SEGG, older people are their main raison d ’ être and therefore their work pursues two main lines Action: universalization of the specialized geriatric care in order to avoid inequalities and the monitoring of the law of dependence.
