What is Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a complicated and serious disease in which damage to the optic nerve leads to progressive, irreversible vision loss. It is one of the leading causes of blindness.
Glaucoma is actually a group of diseases
Tests for Glaucoma
Early detection, through regular and complete eye exams, is the key to protecting your vision from damage caused by glaucoma. A complete eye exam includes five common tests to detect glaucoma. It is important to have your eyes examined regularly.
Risk Factors
Everyone is at risk for glaucoma. However, certain groups are at higher risk than others. People at high risk for glaucoma should get a complete eye exam, including eye dilation, every one or two years. Groups at a higher risk for developing glaucoma include: people over age 60, certain racial and ethnic groups, family members of people with glaucoma, steroid users, and people who have had an eye injury.
Treatment for Glaucoma
There is no one treatment for glaucoma. In many cases medication alone can control the disease. Other times surgery may be required, and the goal of all glaucoma surgery is to lower eye pressure to prevent or reduce damage to the optic nerve. Patients with glaucoma should follow their doctor's orders and have regular eye exams.
Glaucoma is a complicated and serious disease in which damage to the optic nerve leads to progressive, irreversible vision loss. It is one of the leading causes of blindness.
Glaucoma is actually a group of diseases
- The most common type, called Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma, is hereditary. It occurs when the eye’s drainage canals become clogged over time. The inner eye pressure (also called intraocular pressure or IOP) rises because the correct amount of fluid can’t drain out of the eye. Most people have no symptoms and no early warning signs. If open-angle glaucoma is not diagnosed and treated, it can cause a gradual loss of vision. This type of glaucoma develops slowly and sometimes without noticeable sight loss for many years. It usually responds well to medication, especially if caught early and treated.
- Angle-closure glaucoma, also known as narrow-angle glaucoma, is caused by blocked drainage canals in the eye, resulting in a sudden rise in intraocular pressure. This is a much more rare form of glaucoma, which develops very quickly and demands immediate medical attention. Symptoms of angle-closure glaucoma may include: hazy or blurred vision, the appearance of rainbow-colored circles around bright lights, severe eye and head pain, nausea or vomiting (usually accompanying severe eye pain), and sudden vision loss. Unlike open-angle glaucoma, symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma are very noticeable and damage occurs quickly. If you experience any of these symptoms, seek immediate care from an ophthalmologist.
- Symptoms of childhood glaucoma vary. In some cases, children will show no symptoms. Usually, there will be a gradual onset of glaucoma-related problems. Symptoms can include: sensitivity to light, corneal opacification (hazy gray cornea), an enlarged eye and cornea, epiphora (overflow of tears) and vision loss. Some other symptoms are especially common with acute childhood glaucoma. Examples include irritability, loss of appetite, and vomiting. These symptoms may be misunderstood before the glaucoma is recognized. Young children with glaucoma are often unhappy, fussy, and poor eaters.
Tests for Glaucoma
Early detection, through regular and complete eye exams, is the key to protecting your vision from damage caused by glaucoma. A complete eye exam includes five common tests to detect glaucoma. It is important to have your eyes examined regularly.
Risk Factors
Everyone is at risk for glaucoma. However, certain groups are at higher risk than others. People at high risk for glaucoma should get a complete eye exam, including eye dilation, every one or two years. Groups at a higher risk for developing glaucoma include: people over age 60, certain racial and ethnic groups, family members of people with glaucoma, steroid users, and people who have had an eye injury.
Treatment for Glaucoma
There is no one treatment for glaucoma. In many cases medication alone can control the disease. Other times surgery may be required, and the goal of all glaucoma surgery is to lower eye pressure to prevent or reduce damage to the optic nerve. Patients with glaucoma should follow their doctor's orders and have regular eye exams.