the Glaucoma

Glaucoma
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases in which damage to the nerve located in the back of the eye (optic nerve) results in loss of eyesight. At first, side (peripheral) vision is lost. If glaucoma is not treated, vision loss may continue, leading to total blindness over time.
There are three basic types of glaucoma.
• Open-angle glaucoma (OAG) is the most common form of glaucoma in the United States. In open-angle glaucoma, the optic nerve is slowly damaged, usually causing gradual loss of vision. Both eyes can be affected at the same time, although one may be affected more than the other. Sometimes much of your eyesight can be affected before you notice a change.
• Closed-angle glaucoma (CAG) is less common, accounting for about 10% of all glaucoma cases in the United States. In closed-angle glaucoma, the colored part of the eye (iris) and the lens block the movement of fluid between the chambers of the eye, causing pressure to build up and the iris to press on the drainage system (trabecular meshwork) of the eye. (See an illustration of the iris and lens.) It may cause sudden blurred vision with pain and redness, usually in one eye first; symptoms may also include nausea and vomiting. A related type, acute closed-angle glaucoma, is often an emergency situation and needs immediate medical care to prevent permanent damage to the eye.
• Congenital glaucoma is a rare form of glaucoma that is present in some infants at birth. Glaucoma that develops during the first few years of life is called infantile glaucoma. Infants with congenital or infantile glaucoma usually have cloudy eyes that are sensitive to light and have excessive tearing. Symptoms may not develop until 6 months to 1 year after birth. If the problem is not detected early and treated, the child may have severe vision loss and may go blind. People between the age of 3 years and young adulthood can develop a similar type of glaucoma called juvenile glaucoma.
What causes glaucoma?
Damage to the optic nerve is thought to be caused by increased pressure in the eye (intraocular pressure, or IOP). This may result from excess fluid, called aqueous humor, building up in the eye because the eye produces too much or drains too little of the fluid. However, many cases of glaucoma develop without increased IOP. In these cases, decreased blood flow to the optic nerve may cause the damage.
Glaucoma may develop after an eye injury, after eye surgery, from the growth of an eye tumor, or as a complication of a medical condition such as diabetes. Certain medications (corticosteroids) may cause glaucoma when they are used to treat eye inflammation or other diseases. Glaucoma that develops as a result of another condition is called secondary glaucoma.
What are the symptoms?
If you have open-angle glaucoma, the only symptom you are likely to notice is vision loss. You may not notice the vision loss until it is severe, because your less affected eye at first makes up for the loss. Side (peripheral) vision is usually lost before central vision.
Symptoms of closed-angle glaucoma can be very mild, often going unnoticed. You may have short episodes of symptoms, often occurring in the evening and ending by morning. However, symptoms of closed-angle glaucoma can be severe, including sudden, severe blurring of vision; severe pain in or around the eye; colored halos around lights; eye redness; or nausea and vomiting.
Symptoms of congenital glaucoma or infantile glaucoma can include watery eyes and sensitivity to light, eyes that look cloudy, or eyes that look larger than normal. Your baby may rub his or her eyes, squint, or keep his or her eyes closed much of the time.
How is glaucoma diagnosed?
Your health professional will take a medical history and do a physical exam. If glaucoma is suspected, you usually will be referred to an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) for further testing and treatment. The initial evaluation by a specialist may require up to 3 visits.
Who should be screened for glaucoma?
Everyone needs to be checked for glaucoma. Early diagnosis and treatment for glaucoma can prevent severe loss of vision and blindness. People at high risk for glaucoma need to be checked by an ophthalmologist even if they have no symptoms.







Topic Overview

 acne vulgaris
What is acne vulgaris?
Acne vulgaris (acne) is a common skin condition that occurs when oil and dead skin cells clog the skin's pores. Acne primarily affects teens; more than 85% experience at least a mild form of this condition. 1 The most severe cases can be both emotionally and physically scarring. While most people outgrow acne by their early 20s, some—especially women—have acne into their 40s or 50s.
What causes acne vulgaris?
During puberty, elevated hormone levels stimulate sebaceous glands to produce more oil, also called sebum, which is normally released through the hair shaft to lubricate and protect the skin. Sebum combines with dead cells, forming a plug in the skin pore. The plug clogs the pore and bacteria grow under the surface of the skin in the mixture of sebum and cells. The trapped mixture leaks into adjacent tissues and causes inflammation, redness, and pus.
See an illustration of how pimples form.
Contrary to popular myth, acne is not caused by chocolate or greasy foods.


What are the symptoms of acne?
Symptoms of acne include whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples, which usually occur on the face, neck, shoulders, back, or chest. Pimples that are large and deep are called cystic lesions. Cystic lesions can cause painful infections and lead to scarring.
How is acne treated?
Treatment for acne depends upon its severity. The goal of treatment is to reduce or eliminate outbreaks and to prevent scarring. Gentle cleansing with soap or nonprescription products, such as benzoyl peroxide lotions, often controls mild acne cases and prevents new outbreaks. If these treatments do not work, your doctor may prescribe topical creams or lotions containing antibiotics or other kinds of medication.
For moderate to severe cases, antibiotics are often used. Topical benzoyl peroxide lotions are usually used along with antibiotics because the combination increases effectiveness and decreases the risk of developing antibiotic resistance.
If you have acne nodules—solid, dome- or irregular-shaped, inflamed, painful lumps—your doctor might first prescribe a topical retinoid, a cream or lotion that contains a form of vitamin A, and a topical antibiotic, along with an oral antibiotic.
If your acne does not improve or if you develop deep nodules and cysts, your doctor may recommend an oral retinoid, such as Accutane. This medication is usually used as a last resort, because it has some rare but serious side effects and is expensive.
Light wave therapy, which uses a narrow-band, high-intensity blue light, has recently been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This therapy has shown to be helpful in treating mild to moderate acne that has not responded to other treatments. 2
What can be done about acne scars?
Several treatments are used to improve the appearance of acne scars. These treatments range from collagen injections, to removing damaged layers of skin by various methods, to surgically cutting out the scar and repairing the hole. The best treatment for you depends upon the severity of scarring. Sometimes a combination of treatments is used.
What can I do to prevent acne?
If you are destined to get acne, there's really not much you can do to prevent it. Scientists do not understand exactly why teens start to produce excessive sebum and develop acne, although they think that hormones, bacteria, heredity, and stress may play a role.



 Cataract:-
What is a cataract?
A cataract is a painless, cloudy area in the lens of the eye that blocks the passage of light to the retina, the nerve layer at the back of the eye, usually causing vision problems.
See an illustration of a cataract.
What causes cataracts?
A cataract occurs when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy. Aging and exposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause cataracts. Changes in the lens of the eye are often a normal part of the aging process and are common in older people, but they do not necessarily lead to cataracts.
Cataracts can also occur after an eye injury, as a result of eye disease, after the use of certain medications, or as a result of medical conditions such as diabetes.
What are the symptoms of cataracts?
Not all cataracts affect vision. However, cataracts can cause cloudy, fuzzy, or foggy vision and glare from lamps or the sun. Driving at night may be difficult because of severe glare produced by headlights. You may need frequent changes to your eyeglasses prescription, and you may experience double vision in one eye or second sight, a temporary improvement in near vision in farsighted people.
How are cataracts diagnosed?
Cataracts are diagnosed with a physical exam and medical history. Further testing may be used to confirm the presence of a cataract or rule out other conditions that may be affecting vision.
How are cataracts treated?
Surgery is the only effective means of treating vision loss caused by cataracts.
Whether or not you need to have cataract surgery depends on the degree to which the cataract interferes with your daily activities. Surgery is almost always by choice (elective) and can be scheduled when it is convenient.
Cataracts in older adults do not always need to be removed. The vision loss that results from cataracts often develops slowly and may never become severe. Many people with cataracts adapt very well with the help of eyeglasses, contacts, and other vision aids and are able to avoid or delay surgery.