RESEARCH COMMUNICATION. The podcast Akademiliv is back, this time focusing on the vision of the elderly. The podcast is only available in Swedish. The guest is Lena Havstam Johansson, a specialist nurse and doctoral student. The interviewer is Communications Officer Elin Lindström.
- You can listen to the podcast here: Akademiliv Podcast on Glaucoma (Soundcloud)
Among seventy-year-olds, about one in twenty has glaucoma. In Sweden, it is estimated that around 200,000 Swedes have the eye disease. Glaucoma essentially has no symptoms and can be difficult to detect, meaning that many may have the disease without knowing it.
In the podcast, Lena Havstam Johansson talks about her research, which will result in a thesis in May 2024.
Genes plays a role
It is not known what the underlying cause of nerve damage is, but Lena Havstam Johansson’s research suggests that there may be hereditary components.
“If you have a close relative who has had glaucoma, I think you should go and check the optic nerve from the age of fifty. It is not enough to just measure eye pressure. Today there are optometrists that have specialized in checking for glaucoma,” says Lena Havstam Johansson.
In the podcast, she also talks about the vision-related quality of life, where her research has shown that it is worse in those who have glaucoma. At the same time, those who have glaucoma seem to have the same general quality of life as everyone else. She has also observed that those who are economically less well off have the worst vision-related quality of life.
Glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve that worsens over time. If the disease is not treated, the damage can eventually lead to blindness. Treatment consists of eye drops that lower eye pressure, slowing down the damage process.
- In the episode, we also recommend another episode of the Akademiliv podcast (also in Swedish), where Ingmar Skoog talks about the H70 study, recorded in the fall of 2021: 50 Years with the Population Study H70 (Soundcloud)
BY: ELIN LINDSTRÖM
