OET: Reading Part AGlaucoma Reading Sub-test TIME LIMIT: 15 MINUTES • Complete the following summary using the information in the four texts provided. • You do not need to read each text from beginning to end to complete the task. You should scan the texts to find the information you need. • Gaps may require 1, 2 or 3 words. • You should write your answers next to the appropriate number in the right-hand column. • Please use correct spelling in your responses. 1 In other patients the damage may be caused by poor blood supply to the vital optic nerve fibers. One eye covers for the other. Over 146. and/or a problem in the health of the nerve fibres themselves. a weakness in the structure of the nerve.this is performed usually after eye drops and laser have failed to control the eye pressure. 2 .a result of blockage of the circulation of aqueous.this is performed when eye drops do not stop deterioration in the field of vision. It has no symptoms until eye sight is lost at a later stage. Laser (laser trabeculoplasty) . This damage is irreversible. Treatment Although there is no cure for glaucoma it can usually be controlled and further loss of sight either prevented or at least slowed down.000 Australians have been diagnosed with glaucoma. or its drainage. 2009) Description Glaucoma is the name given to a group of eye diseases in which the optic nerve at the back of the eye is slowly destroyed. Treatment can save remaining vision but it does not improve eye sight. Symptoms Chronic (primary open-angle) glaucoma is the commonest type. it can occur at any age. Surgery (trabeculectomy) . Treatments include: Eyedrops these are the most common form of treatment and must be used regularly. In most people this damage is due to an increased pressure inside the eye . and a large part of vision has been destroyed. While it is more common as people age. starting with the side vision. Prognosis Damage progresses very slowly and destroys vision gradually.OET: Reading Part A Text 1 Title: Glaucoma (Robertson. A new channel for the fluid to leave the eye is created. and the person remains unaware of any problem until a majority of nerve fibres have been damaged. Glaucoma is also far less common in the indigenous population. OET: Reading Part A Text 2 Table 1: Study of eye pressure and corneal thickness as predictors of Glaucoma.07* .49* 3 . Intraocular pressure (IOP) Central corneal thickness (CCT) and Glaucoma correlations.38* -.13* .05 Central corneal thickness Intraocular pressure + Central corneal thickness Predictor of development of glaucoma (r²) . Intraocular pressure thickness of 555 microns or less thickness of more than 588 microns pressure of less than 21 mmHg pressure of more than 22 mmHg Thickness less than 555 and pressure less than 21 mmHg *power >.36* -. McCorrmack & McCorrmack 2005. Congenital glaucoma. cataracts.OET: Reading Part A Text 3 Other forms of Glaucoma. It can exist at birth or develop later. • Low-tension or normal tension glaucoma. nausea. Acute (angle-closure) glaucoma. eye inflammation. Occasionally optic nerve damage can occur in people with so-called normal eye pressure. • • • Secondary glaucomas. Acute glaucoma is when the pressure inside the eye rapidly increases due to the iris blocking the drain. 4 . An attack of acute glaucoma is often severe. These glaucomas can develop as a result of other disorders of the eye such as injuries. People suffer pain. This is a rare form of glaucoma caused by an abnormal drainage system. The use of steroids (cortisone) has a tendency to raise eye pressure and therefore pressures should be checked frequently when steroids are used. blurred vision and redness of the eye. 5 . One in 10 Australians over 80 will develop glaucoma. The dynamic model of the economic impact of glaucoma enables cost-effectiveness comparison of various interventions to inform policy development. The total cost is expected to increase to $4. At present.9 billion. The total annual cost of glaucoma in 2005 was $1.OET: Reading Part A Text 4 Overview of Glaucoma Facts Glaucoma Facts • • • • • • • • Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness world wide.3 billion by 2025. Australian health care cost of glaucoma in 2005 was $342 million. 50% of people with glaucoma in Australia are undiagnosed. First degree relatives of glaucoma patients have an 8-fold increased risk of developing the disease. 13 14 9 10 11 12 6 7 8 6 ..…. until the onset of blindness. Primary open-angle glaucoma has no real 5) …..OET: Reading Part A Summary Task Summary According to the article by Robertson.….. More than 3) …………… Australians are currently living with Glaucoma.. The most common form of treatment is/are 8) ………………. although when this treatment and the use of lasers fails to stop deterioration 9) ……………. also know as 10) …………………. followed by 2) …………. to the vital optic nerve fibers. inside the eye. . the primary cause of glaucoma is 1) …………….. Deterioration of eyesight starts with 6) ………… and the sufferer may not be conscious of glaucoma progression until a 7) ………… of optic nerves have been destroyed..... 5 2 3 4 Answer 1 however the 4) ……………… population is less likely to suffer.….can be preformed.... the eye’s internal 18) …………. In older age. Regarded as a birth defect 17) …………. and thicknesses greater than 14) …………… were negatively correlated with the onset of glaucoma.……….. Noticeably.. such as 20) …... Combined.. the results show pressures more than 13) ……………. and 12) ………………. Similarly the use of steroids. were significantly correlated with glaucoma.. 16) …………….….……... when the drain is blocked by the iris. rapidly increases and this is referred to as 19) ….OET: Reading Part A A Study looking at non-genetic predictors of glaucoma found 11) …………………. may be present at birth or develop later. can affect the internal balance of the eye..…… can occur with normal eye pressure. the two factors had a predictive value of 15) …………… 19 20 18 16 17 15 Turning to types other than non-chronic glaucoma. 7 .………. ... of potential sufferers are undiagnosed. globally. with immediate family members of 22 23 glaucoma sufferers having an 22) …………….OET: Reading Part A 21 Glaucoma is a major cause of 21) ………………. risk of future diagnosis. Yet in the Australian community 23) ………. The associated health care cost was 24) ………………. in 2005 and the total social and economic costs were calculated to be 25) ………… in the same year. 24 25 Total score (Markers use only) 8 .