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Glaucoma: Worrying Statistics Cause For Concern
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Glaucoma In The Digital Age: How Technology Is Revolutionising Diagnosis And Treatment?
Leveraging the power of technology to improve early detection, monitoring, and management of the glaucoma has been a critical factor.Only a few people are aware of this. Still, thanks to technological advancements, the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma are being revolutionised, offering new tools for early detection, monitoring, and management of the disease. In the digital age, these technological innovations are reshaping the landscape of glaucoma care, providing patients and healthcare providers with more effective strategies for protecting vision and mitigating the risk of glaucoma.
The points below briefly explain how technology is revolutionising diagnosis and treatment:
1. Digital Imaging and Diagnostic Devices: Digital imaging technologies, like optical coherence tomography (OCT) and scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO), have transformed how glaucoma is diagnosed and monitored. These non-invasive imaging techniques enable high-resolution visualisation of the optic nerve head, retinal nerve fibre layer, and other structures in the eye, allowing early detection of glaucomatous damage before significant vision loss happens.
2. Automated Perimetry: Visual field testing is necessary for assessing the extent of peripheral vision loss caused by glaucoma. Traditional manual perimetry tests can be time-consuming and subjective, but automated perimetry devices offer more efficient and reliable methods for measuring visual field function. These devices utilise advanced algorithms to detect and quantify visual field defects linked with glaucoma, providing valuable information for disease staging and progression monitoring.
3. Telemedicine and Remote Monitoring: Telemedicine platforms and remote monitoring technologies are increasingly used to enhance access to glaucoma care, especially in underserved areas or when free mobility is impossible. Eye care providers can receive virtual assessments remotely and access educational resources to manage their condition better. This enhances the possibility of early intervention and tailored treatment plans.
4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning: analyze complex datasets generated by imaging and diagnostic devices. This facilitates early detection and risk stratification of glaucoma. These algorithms have the potential to identify subtle changes in optic nerve morphology, detect patterns of visual field loss, and predict disease progression more accurately than conventional methods. Individual patient needs, eventually improving patient outcomes and reducing the possibility of glaucoma-related vision loss.
5. Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS): Advances in surgical techniques and device technology have offered safer and more effective options for lowering glaucoma patients' intraocular pressure (IOP). MIGS devices, like microstates and shunts, can be implanted during cataract surgery or as standalone procedures to improve aqueous humour outflow and reduce reliance on topical medications. These minimally invasive approaches enable faster recovery times, lessen the complications, and give better long-term outcomes in comparison to traditional glaucoma surgeries.
6. Patient Education and Engagement: Digital health platforms and mobile applications empower patients to manage their glaucoma and adhere to their treatment regimens actively. Mobile apps can provide personalized reminders for medication adherence, track IOP measurements, deliver educational content about glaucoma, and facilitate communication between patients and their healthcare providers. By promoting patient engagement and self-management, these digital tools help improve treatment adherence, optimise clinical outcomes, and enhance glaucoma patients' overall quality of life.
ConclusionThe digital age has revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. Leveraging the power of technology to improve early detection, monitoring, and management of the disease has been a critical factor. These technological innovations transform how glaucoma is diagnosed, monitored, and treated, resulting in better outcomes and preserving vision for patients worldwide.
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Study Evaluates The Potential Correlation Of Ultra-processed Food Consumption And Increased Glaucoma Incidence
UPFs include fast food, energy drinks and soda, sweets such as chocolates and candies and much more.
(Image Credit: AdobeStock/vaaseenaa)
A recent study of Spanish university students showed those who intake a higher amount of ultra-processed food (UPF) have a higher risk of developing glaucoma when compared to those with a lower UPF consumption.
The study used data from the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Project conducted in 1999, a large prospective cohort study that focuses on Spanish university graduates in a Mediterranean setting to identify the lifestyle and dietary variables that contribute to various diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, mental illness, and cancer. The sample size consisted of 19,225 participants (60.1% women) with a mean age of 38.2 years old (±12.4). Participants were followed up on average for 12.9 years (±5.4). An ophthalmologist clinically evaluated a subsample of 150 participants to validate the self-reported diagnosis of glaucoma.1
UPFs were defined by using the NOVA classification system, designed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. By the NOVA system, UPF is defined as "industrial formulations made entirely or mostly from substances extracted from foods (oils, fats, sugar, starch, and proteins), derived from food constituents (hydrogenated fats and modified starch), or synthesized in laboratories from food substrates or other organic sources (flavor enhancers, colors, and several food additives used to make the product hyper-palatable)."2
Examples of UPFs according to the NOVA System include, but are not limited to:
In the SUN project, dietary intake was measured at the beginning using a 136-item semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and was repeated after 10 years to account for any changes in the participant's diet.
For the study evaluating UPF intake and glaucoma association, participants were divided into 4 groups according to the daily number of servings of UPFs consumed, Group 1 consisted of those consuming 1 serving or less (n=1004), Group 2 more than 1 to 3 servings (n=8237), Group 3 more than 3 to 4 servings (n=4196), and Group 4 more than 4 servings (n=5818).1
Results showed that participants in Group 4 were at higher risk of glaucoma (Hazard Ratio = 1.84; 95% Confidence Interval 1.06 to 3.21) compared to participants in Group 1 (p for trend = 0.005). Furthermore, when analyzed independently, UPF from sweets showed a significant glaucoma risk when compared to sausage, beverage, fried food, fast food, and dairy product consumption.1
The study concluded that a possible explanation for the findings could lie in the increase in blood glucose levels caused by higher UPF consumption and hypothesized that increased consumption of UPFs, rich in additives and artificial substances, may increase inflammation levels, which, in turn, could increase the risk of glaucoma.
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