Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease where fluid pressure inside the eye increases causing irreversible damage to the optic nerve and loss of vision. It is often, but not always, associated with increased pressure of the fluid in the eye.

The nerve damage involves loss of retinal ganglion cells in a characteristic pattern. There are many different sub-types of glaucoma but they can all be considered a type of optic neuropathy. Raised intraocular pressure is a significant risk factor for developing glaucoma (above 21 mmHg or 2.8 kPa). One person may develop nerve damage at a relatively low pressure, while another person may have high eye pressure for years and yet never develop damage. Untreated glaucoma leads to permanent damage of the optic nerve and resultant visual field loss, which can progress to blindness.

Glaucoma can be divided roughly into two main categories, "open angle" and "closed angle" glaucoma. Closed angle glaucoma can appear suddenly and is often painful; visual loss can progress quickly but the discomfort often leads patients to seek medical attention before permanent damage occurs. Open angle, chronic glaucoma tends to progress at a slower rate and the patient may not notice that they have lost vision until the disease has progressed significantly.

Glaucoma has been nicknamed the "silent thief of sight" because the loss of vision normally occurs gradually over a long period of time and is often only recognized when the disease is quite advanced. Once lost, this damaged visual field cannot be recovered. Worldwide, it is the second leading cause of blindness. It is also the first leading cause of blindness among African Americans. Glaucoma affects 1 in 200 people aged fifty and younger, and 1 in 10 over the age of eighty. If the condition is detected early enough it is possible to arrest the development or slow the progression with medical and surgical means. There are two main types of glaucoma: open-angle glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma.

	to increase	збільшуватися
	irreversible	незворотній
	retinal ganglion	ганглія сітківки
	blindness	cліпота, втрата зору
	"open angle" glaucoma	відкритокутова глаукома
	"closed angle" glaucoma	закритокутова глаукома
	significantly	значно
	nickname	прізвисько
	thief of sight	злодій зору
	gradually	поступово
	to affect	вражати
	to detect	виявляти, встановлювати

Ophthalmology. Duties of a nurse in an ophthalmological department

Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine which deals with the diseases and surgery of the visual pathways, including the eye, hairs, and areas surrounding the eye, such as the lacrimal system and eyelids. The term ophthalmologist is an eye specialist for medical and surgical problems. The Ophthalmology department provides a range of ophthalmic eye related services for both in- and outpatients.

Ophthalmic nurses care for patients who are diagnosed with disorders of the eyes. The eyes are indicators of a person's health, and keeping them in good shape is vital to one's wellness. Therefore, these types of nurses, who work under the supervision of an ophthalmologist, are an essential part of health care. As vision problems can be related to medical problems like hypertension and diabetes, when patients suffer from common eye disorders and diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, eye trauma, and partial or full blindness, ophthalmic nurses conduct tests that examine their health in other areas. Ophthalmic nurses prepare patients who have to undergo eye surgery by performing pre-operative assessments that include gathering information about their overall health, current medications, allergic reactions to medications, and systemic conditions. They also educate patients on the surgical procedure itself as well as aftercare procedures. During operations, ophthalmic nurses assist the surgical team. They carefully and safely position patients for the surgical best access, verify the surgical site, and help out with technical instrumentation.

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visual pathways in- and outpatients to undergo eye surgery pre-operative assessments surgical best acces

зорові шляхи стаціонарні та амбулаторні пацієнти пройти хірургію ока доопераційні оцінки кращий доступ до місця проведення операції