Charles Bahn, MD, Responds to New Glaucoma Study Revealing Worsening Conditions in Winter
Online, August 1, 2012 (Newswire.com) - National Post reports that researchers at the Devers Eye Institute, located in Portland, Oregon, have discovered that glaucoma worsens during colder weather. This is particularly a concern for individuals whose condition is still in its early stages. Charles Bahn, MD, believes that this is an important medical discovery that will play a crucial role in both further research and the prevention of blindness, which glaucoma can cause.
Glaucoma occurs when the pressure of the eye becomes elevated, which damages the optic nerve. When the optic nerve is damaged, the images processed by the eye cannot be transmitted to the brain, preventing the individual from seeing the images that their eyes are absorbing. According to the researchers at the Devers Eye Institute, colder weather causes increased intraocular pressure.
The higher eye pressures that colder climates can cause is surprisingly significant. According to the study, the pressure associated with the winter season is up to five times more severe in the northern United States than it is in the southern United States. Additionally, the study reports that this effect reaches its pinnacle in the months of January and February.
"Discovering that cold weather is associated with an increased eye pressure is important in preventing blindness from glaucoma," asserts Charles Bahn, MD. "Glaucoma is a disease in which the pressure of the eye damages the nerve in the back of the eye. If untreated, this leads to blindness. Simple, painless measurement of the pressure in the eye during routine eye examinations is usually enough to discover the problem."
But this pressure can change drastically from even one hour to the next, making the condition sometimes difficult to detect. Dr. Bahn continues: "Unfortunately, the pressure in the eye can vary considerably from day to day, or even within the same day, making the diagnosis and treatment difficult in some patients. Studies to understand why this variability occurs, and what factors might affect this variability, are crucial to successful treatment of glaucoma and, ultimately, preventing blindness."
Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in individuals over the age of 65. With hundreds of thousands of men and women suffering from this disease, Dr. Bahn hopes that this new research will prompt further studies and assist in alleviating the blindness and disability that glaucoma patients may experience.
ABOUT:
Charles Bahn, MD, practices ophthalmology in Bethesda, Maryland. Through his practice, he assists patients in improving overall eye health while taking on specialty cases regarding glaucoma. Furthermore, Charles Bahn, MD, excels in the treatment of corneal and external eye diseases. Charles Bahn, MD, earned his medical degree, bachelor's degrees, and master's degrees from Tulane University and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.