Glaucoma is a term given to a group of diseases that result in damage to the optic nerve that transmits information between the eye and the brain. Damage to the optic nerve is thought to result from a number of causes; primarily an increase in pressure inside the eye related to a build up of the fluid that nourishes the eye being unable to drain away, poor blood supply to the nerve fibres, damage to the nerve fibres or an associated disease that affects the optic nerve. Glaucoma is usually associated with ageing.
Glaucoma can present itself in a number of different ways:
- chronic or open-angle glaucoma which develops slowly over time with a person not even realising they have a problem until their eyesight becomes affected
- acute glaucoma when vision loss is sudden and painful
- congenital glaucoma which is present at birth or develops later
- secondary glaucomas as a result of cortisone (steroid) use or other eye related disease or trauma.
Symptoms and characteristics:
Glaucoma often has no symptoms until significant peripheral vision loss occurs. Other common signs may include:
- severe pain and vision loss for closed-angle glaucoma which may be associated with nausea and vomiting
- reduced peripheral or side vision
- blank areas can develop closer to the centre of vision
- blurred vision, or seeing coloured rings around lights
- headaches
- painful, red eyes.
Vision loss occurring prior to commencing treatment may be permanent.
Workplace adjustments and solutions:
In the workplace there are various factors that would assist people with glaucoma to better manage their condition. These include changes to work tasks and the environment, and will vary depending upon the level of vision loss. Some suggestions for workplace modifications include:
- evaluation of workplace lighting to ensure it meets Australian standards with the addition of specific task lighting if required
- the use of magnification software to assist with computer screen magnification
- the use of text to speech software
- use of a larger screen to assist with viewing text, along with modification of contrast, screen verses text colours and brightness levels
- the use of magnification aids and devices either portable or desk based to magnify hard copy documents or panels such as that on a photocopier
- the use of specialised scanning software which allows rapid scanning of hard copy documents which are then saved to computer for viewing or listening via text to speech functions
- the use of other adaptive technology to overcome workplace barriers such as barcode scanners for labeling items for easy locating or braille equipment
- large button phones or mobiles with text to speech software to allow for use of text messaging
- GPS equipment with speech output to assist with navigation around the community or when traveling for work.
(MDA Internet 2005-2008; Centre for Vision Research (no date specified); Better Health Channel 2008; Glaucoma Australia Inc 2006; Vision Australia 2007)
There are solutions and adjustments for the following job requirements:
References:
Better Health Channel 2008, Glaucoma explained, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, viewed 6 February 2009, http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Glaucoma_explained?open
Glaucoma Australia Inc 2006, What is Glaucoma?, Glaucoma Australia Inc, Sydney, viewed 6 February 2009, http://www.glaucoma.org.au/whatis.htm
MDA Internet 2005-2008, Glaucoma, Reed Group Ltd, Colorado, viewed 6 February 2009, http://www.mdainternet.com (secure site)
Vision Australia 2007, Glaucoma Fact Sheet, Vision Australia, Sydney, viewed 6 February 2009, http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=601
Centre for Vision Research (no date specified), Glaucoma, Department of Clinical Ophthalmology and Eye Health, Sydney, viewed 6 February 2009, http://www.cvr.org.au/glaucoma.htm