As if there aren’t enough reasons for a person to avoid the use of illegal drugs, a new study is pointing to a connection between a commonly abused substance and an increased risk of glaucoma, a condition that seems to be diagnosed as often as eye allergies in Austin.
Glaucoma There are a few different types of glaucoma, but all are considered serious eye disorders. The most common among them is open angle glaucoma. Austin ophthalmologist professionals treat patients for this disorder every day and nearly eighty percent of all patients diagnosed with the condition fall into this category. It is also referred to as chronic glaucoma and it is the leading cause of blindness among adults in this country. Eyesight is lost as increased intraocular pressure causes damage to the optic nerve and retina. The major disadvantage of this and many eye-related diseases is that it can go on unnoticed for quite some time, which means that it is allowed to progress, often, to a significant point before it is diagnosed and treated. Fortunately, today, there is a painless test that can be done at regular eye doctor visits and can allow for early detection. It has long been known that age and ethnicity played key roles in determining the risk factor in patients. However, new evidence is suggesting that there is another factor to consider as well.
Veterans Give Reason for Study The Office of Applied Studies released findings after a study in 2002 that shocked a number of Americans. It was found that approximately two million veterans in the United States had used illicit drugs within the year prior to the study. Yet, just twenty percent of those considered in need of drug counseling help, only twenty-percent had received it. It was all discovered during that time that fifty-five thousand veterans (3000 of which were women) were receiving substance abuse treatment. Surprising was the number of veterans reporting the use of illicit drugs as their preferred source of high. A greater percentage of female veterans than males were admitted due to continued cocaine abuse.
The Study It is not entirely clear whether the facts above led to the study of veterans medical records recently, which found that approximately eighty-three thousand former United States soldiers had been diagnosed with glaucoma. Glaucoma specialists may not have been overly shocked to hear that figure, given the fact that the condition is now so common in Americans of a certain age. However, what did come as a shock was that the more than 175 thousand veterans diagnosed with cocaine abuse were forty-five percent more likely to be affected by the eye condition. Equally as terrifying for many people was the fact that cocaine users (past or present) with glaucoma were, on average, twenty years younger than non-users with the disease. Researchers admit that more studies are needed to discover the severity of the impact cocaine has on eye health. Could it be that cataract removal is more often performed on previous cocaine addicts? This is just one of the questions that has arisen with these new findings, but there is hope that doctors with catch glaucoma sooner in this population as a result of this study.
Ophthalmologist Austin TX
Broberg Eye Care
4207 James Casey St # 305
Austin, TX 78745-1193
(512) 447-6096
