Glaucoma is caused by the wear and tear of the optic nerve as a result of increased intraocular pressure. Glaucoma (eye pressure), known as black water among the people, is among the diseases that can cause serious problems without symptoms. In glaucoma, which can be seen in people of all ages and groups, some people are more at risk than others. Ankara City Hospital Ophthalmology Specialist Prof. Dr. Özlem Gürbüz Köz said, “Glaucoma (eye pressure) is a well-known problem for people aged 40 and beyond, but it is actually a congenital disease. Even then, it can reach much more dangerous dimensions. That’s why the examination of newborn babies is very important,” he said.
EARLY DIAGNOSIS IS VERY IMPORTANT
Pointing out that glaucoma is a very insidious disease, Ankara City Hospital Ophthalmology Specialist Prof. Dr. Özlem Gürbüz Köz said, “Glaucoma is a very insidious disease known as glaucoma among the people. Without any symptoms, such as pain, redness, stinging, light flashing, the fluid accumulated in the eye increases the pressure in the eye because the fluid in the eye cannot be discharged and the mechanism there is impaired. By pressing on the optic nerve with mechanical pressure, it withers, thins and finally dries this nerve. The patient can realize that he has glaucoma when he loses his vision in the last stage, often without noticing anything. Early diagnosis of this is very important, it is our recommendation to measure eye pressure every year. In addition, we recommend that regular check-ups be made by ophthalmologists every year. After getting an early diagnosis, we have very powerful drugs. Where the medicine is not enough, we can reduce the eye pressure very well with laser treatment, and if that is not the case, surgery.” he said.
CAN CAUSE PERMANENT LOSS OF VISION
Emphasizing that glaucoma disease progresses to permanent vision loss, that is, blindness, Prof. Dr. Köz said, “Glaucoma is the second cause of blindness in the world and it is irreversible. There are 2 and a half million patients diagnosed with glaucoma in Turkey. However, there is a group that has not been diagnosed as much and is getting closer to blindness every day. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to measure the eye pressure. It is absolutely necessary to be examined by an ophthalmologist every year.”
MEHMET BABY IS MORE HAPPY AND PEACEFUL NOW
Noting that the 3-month-old Mehmet Asaf baby is in very good condition now, if early diagnosis and early intervention had not been made, maybe even bigger problems could have arisen. Dr. Köz said, “Mehmet is a very lucky baby. Because his mother and father observed very well. He noticed that his pupils were dilated, his eyes were cloudy, he was sensitive to light, and his eyes were watering. Also, the boy was more restless before he came to us. Night sleep is disturbed. We operated on both eyes of Mehmet, one week apart. We did the checks today. Their eye pressure has dropped very well, as we had hoped. His family also says that ‘he is a happier and more peaceful baby now’. Of course, we are very happy with this result,” he said.
THE DISEASE STARTED WITH IRRIGATION AND RING OF THE EYE
Emphasizing that she had never heard of glaucoma before, but researched it later, Mehmet Asaf Çayan’s mother Şeyma Çayan said, “This disease first started with watering and redness. The eyes started to grow or something, he was blinking, so light sensitivity started. After that, we went to the emergency room and had an eye exam. Then we came to Ankara City Hospital and our doctor Özlem Gürbüz Köz went into our operation and the operation was very successful. None of the pre-surgery conditions remained. The wiggling, watering and redness are all gone. Everything is fine now, even the clarity of the eye color has emerged. This is the first time I have heard of such a disease, I had never heard of it before. Very dangerous for small babies. It is a disease that could lead to blindness if it was not diagnosed. “I was shocked when I heard that,” he said.