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Essay / Exploring the association between oral contraceptive pills and glaucoma
Oral contraceptive pills or the Pill, as many know, are a type of female contraception that is taken daily to prevent pregnancy. Oral contraceptives come in different types, including the estrogen-containing pill, the progestin-only pill, and the combined pill which contains both estrogen and progestin. The hormones estrogen and progestin work by stopping the production of eggs, preventing their release from the ovary. However, the pill causes certain side effects which may be ocular or systemic. Studies have shown that there is a link between long-term use of oral contraceptives and eye health. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay It has long been a known fact that there is some sort of association between female sex hormones and IOP changes. The oral contraceptive contains artificial estrogens and progestins. Estrogens are said to be a cause of decreased IOP and therefore a decreased risk of developing open-angle glaucoma when taken by women as hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women. Previous studies suggested that a state of estrogen deficiency leads to increased deterioration of the optic nerve, possibly progressing to glaucoma. Ease of flow is influenced by both estrogens and progestins and they play a role in regulating IOP. The news that there is an association between oral contraceptive pills and glaucoma caused disruption in the media and on the Internet when researchers from the Ophthalmology Academy's 2013 annual meeting presented the report. The study found that women who took oral contraceptives (OCs) for a period of three years were also more likely to develop primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) later in life. Co-authors Shan Lin, MD, of the University of California, San Francisco, emphasized that additional studies are needed to confirm the findings, which were based on patients' self-report of a glaucoma diagnosis. several different formulations of oral contraceptives; some contain only progestin, which suppresses estrogen as noted in the first paragraph. However, even oral contraceptives containing estrogen contain just enough to destroy ovulation, which then changes monthly hormonal patterns. Additionally, formulations have changed since the acceptance of the first oral contraceptive in 1960, with the first generation containing higher levels of estrogen than existing ones. shapes. Whether formulation changes over time have affected glaucoma risk is still the subject of ongoing study by Dr. Kang. It appears that scientists are gathering evidence to support the theory that estrogen may gradually play an important role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. They hypothesized that reduced estrogen exposure increases the vulnerability of the optic nerve to glaucomatous damage and that estrogen may provide protection against glaucoma. In the 2000s, numerous studies discovered risk relationships between many reproductive factors and glaucoma. These studies have focused on early menopause, late menarche, oophorectomy and, more recently, the use of oral contraceptives. Some studies have demonstrated the protective effects of late menopause or treatmenthormone replacement. The mechanism of estrogen's protective effect remains unclear, but most evidence suggests it may be neuroprotective, Dr. Lin said. He explained that estrogen receptors are expressed in selected eye tissues, as well as in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), where estrogen appears to have a maintenance effect. A single systematic theory holds that estrogen triggers the synthesis of collagen fibers, thereby accumulating collagen fibers. the amount of collagen fiber at the level of the laminacribrosa, thus cultivating the conformity of the structure. This could relieve compression of retinal ganglion cell axons, thereby contributing to their survival. The doctor said that hypertrophy of collagen fibers could also increase the flexibility of the entire eye, leading to a decrease in IOP. We know that early loss of estrogen is associated with increased risks of various health problems, including several conditions linked to brain aging,” said Dr. Vajaranant. “We also know that the main risk factor for glaucoma is advanced age. Therefore, it is possible that early loss of estrogen leads to premature aging of the optic nerve and predisposes it to glaucomatous damage. Recent reports indicate that there is an increased risk of glaucoma in women taking oral contraceptive pills. The reports attempt to answer the question previously raised by researchers as to the exact role estrogen and progesterone play in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Studies show that women who take oral contraceptive pills for more than 3 years are more likely to develop glaucoma than women who do not take pills. In America, it is estimated that approximately 11 million or more women currently use oral contraceptive pills. control pills to prevent pregnancy, while hormone replacement therapy is commonly used to regulate menopausal symptoms. And the question researchers are asking is: "Did you know that their use can also cause various side effects, including dry eye and glaucoma, both of which can lead to poor vision or even vision loss?" Use of oral contraceptive pills is associated with eye health. One of the most common complaints of women taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy is dry eye, a common and often chronic condition in which there are not enough tears to properly lubricate and nourish the eye. Hormonal variations, which can be transmitted through the use of birth control or hormone replacement therapy, are a well-known cause of dry eye. According to the National Eye Institute, women who take estrogen-only hormone replacement therapy have a 70% greater risk of developing dry eye, while women using both estrogen and progesterone have a 30% greater risk. high risk of developing dry eyes. Using logistic regression models, and adjusting for potential confounders, they found that women who had used oral contraceptives, regardless of type, for more than three years, were twice as likely to report that they expected a diagnosis of glaucoma. Estrogens have been linked to glaucoma. more than once by researchers around the world. An earlier report in the British Journal of Ophthalmology linked early menopause to a greater risk of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and the onset ofmenopause at a later age with a reduced risk of primary open-angle glaucoma. Additionally, a prospective cohort study of generative factors and risk of primary open-angle glaucoma in the Nurses' Health Study showed an increased risk of primary open-angle glaucoma incidence by age 25 in women who used oral contraceptives for more than five years. The potential reason behind this increased risk could be the fact that these oral contraceptive pills cause a drop in estrogen levels in the bodies of women who receive them, thereby abolishing the normal peaks and valleys in estrogen levels, leading to a lack of effective estrogen. Nevertheless, the exact relationship between these hormones and the risk of open-angle glaucoma needs to be studied in more detail, and this can be successfully achieved by combining an appropriate pharmacovigilance program. Physicians prescribing oral contraceptive pills as well as patients receiving them should be informed of the coexisting risk of open-angle glaucoma, so that any slight changes in intraocular pressure are reported, to reveal any association between contraceptive pill use oral medications and future glaucoma risk, if any Some scientists and doctors say it is too early to make recommendations about contraceptive use and glaucoma risk, but they suggest that any woman over 40 who uses the pills should be tested for glaucoma and have their eyes examined by a doctor. ophthalmologist. The results of the examination will help further research and improve eye health. Although the study shows an association and not a relationship, British researcher Dr Lin suggests that the use of oral contraceptives could be considered as part of glaucoma risk assessment, alongside other ongoing risk factors. Her study was a cross-sectional study including 3,406 women aged 40 and over, from the National Health and Nutrition Survey from 2005 to 2008. The women responded to a multiplicative questionnaire on vision and health and were underwent eye exams.Dr. Lin does not recommend that patients be advised to stop oral contraceptives based on his study. But then they should be warned to have their eyes examined if they have a history of long-term oral contraceptive use, as well as other risk factors such as African-American ethnicity, a family history of glaucoma, or a history increase in IOP or current visual field. deficiencies. Ultimately, longitudinal studies and double-blind clinical trials will be necessary to see any contributory effects of long-term oral contraceptive use on the threat of glaucoma. Scientists have warned the pill could play a role in glaucoma and advised women at risk to have their eyes checked. Glaucoma is triggered by a buildup of fluid pressure in the eye, causing endless damage to the optic nerve. The most common chronic form of the disease is thought to affect around 480,000 people in the UK. Previous studies have suggested that the hormone estrogen, an important component of the pill, may be complicated in the growth of glaucoma. At the American Academy of Ophthalmology's annual summit in New Orleans, a new finding was presented from a study of 3,406 women ages 40 and older who were asked about their reproductive history and subjected to an eye exam. When using oral contraceptives routinely, many women ask their ophthalmologists about potential risks. Take some 2010 ;; 2011.