Glaucoma
What is Glaucoma ?
Glaucoma is an eye condition that damages the optic nerve. This damage can lead to vision loss or blindness. The optic nerve sends visual information from your eye to the brain and is vital for good vision. Damage to the optic nerve is often related to high pressure in the eye. But glaucoma can happen even with typical eye pressure.
Glaucoma can happen at any age, but is more common in older adults. It is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60. Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs. The effect is so gradual that you may not notice a change in vision until the condition is in its later stages. It’s important to have regular eye exams that include measurements of your eye pressure. If glaucoma is found early, vision loss can be slowed or prevented. If you have glaucoma, you’ll need treatment or monitoring for the rest of your life.
Symptoms
- Bad headache
- Severe eye pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Blurred vision
- Halos or colored rings around lights
- Eye redness
- A dull or cloudy eye
- Increased blinking
- Tears without cryin
- Nearsightedness that gets worse
Cause
Glaucoma develops when the optic nerve becomes damaged. As this nerve gradually gets worse, blind spots develop in your vision. For reasons that eye doctors don’t fully understand, this nerve damage is usually related to increased pressure in the eye. Raised eye pressure happens as a result of a buildup of fluid that flows throughout the inside of the eye. This fluid, called the aqueous humor, usually drains through a tissue located at the angle where the iris and cornea meet. This tissue is called the trabecular meshwork. The cornea is crucial to vision because it allows light to enter the eye. When the eye makes too much fluid or the drainage system doesn’t work properly, eye pressure may increase.
Risk Factors
Glaucoma can damage vision before you notice any symptoms. Be aware of the following risk factors: high internal eye pressure, also known as intraocular pressure, and age over 55, Black, Asian, or Hispanic heritage, family history of glaucoma, certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, migraine, high blood pressure, and sickle cell anemia, corneas that are thin in the center, extreme nearsightedness or farsightedness, eye injury or certain types of eye surgery, taking corticosteroid medicines, especially eye drops, for a long time. Some people have narrow drainage angles, putting them at increased risk of angle-closure glaucoma.
When to see a Doctor
If you have symptoms that come on suddenly, you may have acute angle-closure glaucoma. Symptoms include a bad headache and severe eye pain. You need treatment as soon as possible. Go to an emergency room or call an eye doctor, called an ophthalmologist, immediately.