Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma. POAG usually occurs in older adults, but it can do so in younger adults if they have certain risk factors such as a racial origin, family history of the disease, or extremely thin corneas.
There are a lot of causes of POAG, such as painless and slowly impairing vision, which is why it is important to see an ophthalmologist regularly for a checkup. Normally, blind spots appear first in the peripheral field of vision. Once POAG reaches its advanced stages, the visual damage is irreversible.
In glaucoma, the central issue is damage to nerve tissue caused by excessive eye pressure, also known as intraocular pressure (IOP). When one’s IOP increases, the optic nerve, the neural connection between the eyeball and the brain, gradually becomes damaged. Once these optic nerve cells perish, they cannot regenerate, and the associated peripheral vision loss becomes permanent.
What Causes Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma?
The exact cause of primary open-angle glaucoma is unknown, but there are a few theories. One theory from the Glaucoma Foundation states that it is caused by the trabecular meshwork and the cells involved, while others state that it is caused by an enzymatic problem. According to another theory, POAG can occur as a result of an eye structural defect, which affects the eye’s drainage system.
Treatment:
The POAG disease has no cure at this point, but it can be slowed down by treatment. Prescribed medications should be taken regularly in the form of eye drops to prevent vision loss related to glaucoma.
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