Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-24

Type VI ILLS kLldldQy SoAl NC
by means of a relatively small
at least controlled. He spoke
to a group of eye doctors at the
Walter Reed Hospital who met
as part of the sectional gathering
of the American College of
Surgeons. "a
There are several types Of
glaucoma and various ways Of
treating it. Depending upon
what type it is it can either De
cured or held in check. And
the earlier it is diagnosed and
treated the more eyesight can
be retained.
Major Cause of Blindness
1t has long been a major cause
of blindness, physicians point
out. The name comes from an
ancient Greek word meaning
green eye. This is because the
disorder ends in blindness with
a hard cataract that gives the
eye a green hue.
Actually, glaucoma is the re-
suit of pressure forcing the optic
nerve back into the head and
gradually killing it.
Doctors say the eye may be
compared to an inflated balloon,
with secreted fluid inside keeping
It full. Under normal conditions
this fluid is constantly being
secreted IN one place and drained
out back into the blood stream
in another place. Like steam
boiler, the pressure increases
when something happens to the
safety valve. In the eye there
is no explosion. Instead the optic
nerve is killed.
Behind the pupil and next to
the tense of the eye (the struc-
ture that determines the eyes
color is the ciliary body which
secretes fluid. This fluid comes
through the pupil and back into
what is called Schlemm's canal.
Then it goes through the canal
into the blood stream.
Pressure Builds Up
When this flow is halted by
some obstruction the pressure
within the eye increases and
glaucoma occurs.
OF the three basic types of
glaucoma. one known as primary
glaucoma is causing doctors the
most concern. Primary glaucoma
may show symptoms or it may
be absolutely symphonies in its
early stages.
OF the primary type. the glau-
coma that shows symptoms oc-
ours when the iris is formed too
close to the cornea and not close
enough to the tense. When the
pupil is dilated the iris may
stick to the cornea and block
the path of the fluid to the
canal.
This may be caused by the use
Of certain medicines. by tension.
fright or shock. Everything is
dimmed. Should it occur sud-
denly, the person sees halos or
rainbows around lights. The day
may come when the pupil will
not CONSTRUCTIVE iris stays
stuck to the cornea-and the
fluid cannot get to the canal !
Pressure starts increasing inside
Of the eye.
Makes Hole Through Iris
DR.. Chandler referred to an
operation in which the surgeon
simply makes a little hole
through the iris so the fluid may
flow to the canal and the I'M
natural pressure inside the eye
Is relieved. This, he said, leads
to a 100 per cent permanent
cure.
The other type of primary
glaucoma is known as open
angle glaucoma. Doctors esti-
mate there are a million people
in this country who have this
but don't realize it. Fourteen
per cent of all blindness is due
to it.
There are no symptoms until
permanent and usually extensive
damage has been done. Here
the canal itself is blocked. Fluid
still is being secreted but can't
get out.
Most of the eye can resist this
pressure, but the optic nerve
with its life-giving blood vessels
coming into the back of the eye
is the organs Achilles heel
The pressure forces the nerve
back, destroying its outer circum-
ference first and gradually work.