Is glaucoma a patent for the elderly? Will good eyesight prevent glaucoma? Is eye protection just about getting more drops of eye drops? Ophthalmologists remind that the onset of glaucoma is hidden, and it is important to identify this "invisible visual killer" as soon as possible. On the occasion of the National Eye Care Day on June 6th this year, a reporter from Yangcheng Evening News invited ophthalmologists to help you solve common misconceptions about glaucoma one by one. "Hidden" vision killers should be identified as soon as possible. "Currently, the blindness rate among people aged 40 and above with glaucoma is about 30%. I once treated a young man wearing glasses who was around 30 years old and had chronic (low intraocular pressure) glaucoma in the late stage." Professor Huang Zhongwei of the Ophthalmology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine told reporters that the classification of glaucoma is complex, the course of chronic glaucoma is lengthy, the symptoms are not obvious, or "hidden" in other eye disease symptoms and was overlooked until obvious symptoms appeared, which often caught the patient's attention. The treatment is in the middle and late stages. However, there is no need to talk about a change in color. Ouyang, Deputy Chief Physician of the Ophthalmology Department at Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, reminds that glaucoma can be prevented and treated. As long as glaucoma is prevented properly, detected early, treated effectively, and regularly followed up, patients can maintain good visual function for a long time. Family history of glaucoma, high myopia, eye trauma, long-term use of steroid drugs (either eye drops or systemic drugs), or chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension are all high-risk factors of glaucoma, and we should be alert regardless of age. 6 Misunderstandings of Glaucoma, Ophthalmologists are Resolving Misconception 1: Glaucoma is a Patent for the Elderly Truth: Glaucoma is a common eye disease that can occur from infants to the elderly. Overall, glaucoma is characterized by high intraocular pressure, but the causes and symptoms vary. Professor Huang Zhongwei reminds that the characteristic of congenital glaucoma in infants is that the eyeball is huge and looks like a cow's eye, and a slight mistake can miss the treatment opportunity; Most middle-aged and young people have glaucoma with an open angle, which is not congested and even has normal intraocular pressure; Elderly people often have cataracts, and lens dilation can also trigger glaucoma, which can be divided into two categories: congestive acute attacks and non congestive chronic development. Misconception 2: Good eyesight means you won't suffer from glaucoma. The truth is that a vision of 1.0 can also be glaucoma! Ouyang reminds that the main symptom of glaucoma is visual field defect. Many glaucoma patients have normal central vision tests, but they have already developed visual field defects. The visual field defect in glaucoma develops from the periphery to the center. In the early stage, the peripheral visual field defect is not easy to detect. When accompanied by visual impairment, the visual field defect is already more severe and often has progressed to the late stage of glaucoma. Misconception 3: If the intraocular pressure is normal, glaucoma will not occur. The truth is that intraocular pressure is not the only indicator. High intraocular pressure is indeed the main clinical symptom of most cases of glaucoma. High intraocular pressure requires long-term follow-up and, if necessary, administration of intraocular pressure lowering drugs to prevent the progression to glaucoma. However, some people have normal intraocular pressure tests but progressive characteristic optic nerve damage in glaucoma. Therefore, special attention should be paid to normal intraocular pressure glaucoma (also known as low intraocular pressure glaucoma), and regular (such as three months) visual field check ups should be conducted. Visual acuity should be checked regularly. Evaluate the treatment effect and next steps based on intraocular pressure, visual field, visual acuity, and other ocular and systemic manifestations. Misconception 4: If you get glaucoma, you will definitely lose sight. The truth is that glaucoma can be prevented and treated. At present, according to the different types and stages of glaucoma in clinical practice, various treatment methods such as medication, laser, surgery, etc. can be selected. Therefore, long-term follow-up of glaucoma patients is crucial. It is recommended to follow up at the hospital as follows: 1 Regularly measure intraocular pressure, at least once a month. If there are abnormalities, the frequency should be increased as appropriate. 2. Conduct visual field and optic nerve examinations from 3 months to 6 months. 3. Each follow-up visit should inform the doctor of the medication currently being used, so that the doctor can adjust the medication according to the condition. 4. Follow up hospitals should be relatively fixed to facilitate better observation of disease progression and medication use. Misconception 5: Eye drops can protect the eyes and can be dropped at any time. The truth is that indiscriminate eye drops can cause serious harm. Some people casually buy eye drops when they feel uncomfortable in their eyes, such as vasoconstricting eye drops or even hormone based eye drops. If symptoms alleviate, they use them for a long time, which can lead to glaucoma attacks or worsen the condition. In fact, there are often reasons behind eye discomfort, which may be caused by common eye diseases or glaucoma. Misconception 6: Glaucoma is an organic disease that has nothing to do with a person's mood. The truth is that emotional fluctuations may trigger glaucoma. Huang Zhongwei reminded that emotional changes have a particularly big impact on glaucoma. The onset of acute congestive glaucoma is often related to sudden changes in negative emotions such as anger and grief, and a considerable number of chronic glaucoma patients often have depressive emotions. Traditional Chinese medicine has always understood and treated the five wind internal obstacles (including different types of glaucoma in modern Western medicine) based on the injuries caused by the seven emotions. Therefore, glaucoma patients should try to regulate their emotions, maintain optimism, and maintain a regular lifestyle during the treatment process. (Lai Xin She)