According to the World Health Organization (WHO) glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness globally resulting in over 3 million people blind in the world.

While there is no cure for glaucoma, treatments such as eye drops, laser and surgery can slow down the progression of the disease. However, advances in Stanford research now suggest that glaucoma could be eradicated. Let us explore further.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is an eye condition that damages the optic nerve and can cause blindness. It is painless and develops slowly, gradually reducing field of vision, making it near impossible to notice in the initial stages.

Glaucoma can also be exacerbated by several medical conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure. It usually develops in those over 60, those who have a family history and those with African American ancestry.

Current Treatments

Glaucoma cannot be cured, but timely diagnosis and management can control the condition from progressing. Early-stage treatment can include eye drops and laser treatments.

These treatments are effective in slowing down the damage and preventing partial or total vision loss. However, when the disease reaches the advanced stage, surgery may be the only option to prevent complete blindness. While these treatments effectively manage glaucoma and slow the progression, they are not permanent solutions.

Stanford Advancement

Researchers at Stanford University’s medical school have been working for several years on a newer technology that could very well eradicate glaucoma.

The researchers have developed a new form of imaging technology that allows them to observe the entire optic nerve, including those portions that travel through the brain. This technology might be the breakthrough needed to fully understand and eventually eradicate glaucoma.

This new technology will enable earlier detection of the condition, which will result in earlier intervention and, therefore, better outcomes for patients.

How The Technology Works

Current diagnosis of glaucoma involves examining only the retina located at the back of the eye. However, most of the optic nerve is located within the skull and the brain, rendering current diagnosis methods inadequate.

The new technology developed at Stanford involves using high-resolution MRI machines to create three-dimensional images of the optic nerve. This technology allows doctors to observe the entire optic nerve and see the injured parts of the nerve. This method is non-invasive and provides high-precision images that improve the accuracy of the diagnosis.

Testing and Experimentation

The researchers have already tested and experimented with their new technology with promising results in animal subjects. The researchers injected rats with a substance that would temporarily raise the intraocular pressure.

The rats were then scanned with the ultra-high-resolution MRI machines, thus allowing the researchers to observe the injury to the optic nerve. This technique has been successful owing to the sensitivity of the MRI machines, which enable observation of the blood vessels and axons at a resolution of 7 micrometres.

Conclusion

Based on the Stanford research and the promising results achieved so far, we can only speculate how quickly the technology will be made available, but it is undoubtedly a significant milestone in the fight against glaucoma.

With continued open-mindedness, research and advancement, we are on a positive trajectory to completely eradicate glaucoma from the world and eliminate a major cause of blindness.