Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness. According to the Mayo Clinic, glaucoma is sometimes called "the silent thief of sight," because it often doesn't have early symptoms and acts so slowly that you don't notice until irreversible damage has been done. Glycerin is one of the most common treatments for glaucoma.
What is Glaucoma?
The Mayo Clinic describes glaucoma as being not one single disease but rather "a group of conditions resulting in optic nerve damage, which diminishes sight." There are a number of causes, but the result is always damage to the optic nerve leading to loss of vision. Because this damage is done directly to the optic nerve, the damage is irreversible, so preventative measures are very important.
Symptoms
Glaucoma can be divided into two basic types: open-angle and closed-angle. The most common type is open-angle glaucoma, which is painless and can progress very slowly over months and even years. Because of this, it produces no early symptoms, and the loss of eyesight has such a slow onset that the damage can be far progressed before the loss is noticed. Therefore, regular visits to a qualified eye doctor are very important.
Closed-angle glaucoma is less common. Pressure in the eye builds very quickly, causing eye-pain, headache and nausea. This increase in pressure can lead to blindness in a matter of hours, so immediate treatment is required.
Causes of Glaucoma
The primary cause of glaucoma is an increase in eye pressure caused by a disruption of the normal drainage of aqueous humor fluid. This fluid is continuously produced by the eye, and if it cannot drain normally, pressure builds. There is also normal tension glaucoma, where pressure is within normal levels and yet damage to the optic nerve still occurs. This type is not as well-understood.
Hypertension is thought to be a possible cause of glaucoma. Genetics play a large role, and those of African and Asian descent are more likely to develop glaucoma. Women are more likely to develop closed-angle glaucoma.
Glycerin
Glycerin is a thick, clear, odorless liquid byproduct of the production of soap and biodiesel. It is a common ingredient of both food and personal care products like soap, shampoo and moisturizers. Glycerin's most useful property is its ability to draw moisture from its surroundings into itself.
Glycerin as Treatment
As a treatment for glaucoma, glycerin is taken orally for its hyperosmotic properties. Glycerin became a very popular treatment for glaucoma in the early sixties and greatly reduced the need for eye surgery. As a hyperosmotic agent, glycerin allows osmosis to occur between the blood and the fluids in the eye, transferring water out of the eye and therefore reducing pressure caused by blockage.
Although glycerin is non-toxic in lower doses, it can cause nausea in the doses required for glaucoma treatment.
