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Understanding Glaucoma Symptoms and Risks

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that results in damage to the optic nerve and vision loss. It includes open-angle glaucoma, the most common type, as well as closed-angle glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma develops slowly over time without pain, while closed-angle glaucoma can present gradually or suddenly with severe eye pain and other symptoms. Risk factors include high eye pressure, family history, and high blood pressure. While treatment can slow or stop progression if caught early, vision loss from glaucoma that has already occurred is permanent.

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5 views1 page

Understanding Glaucoma Symptoms and Risks

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that results in damage to the optic nerve and vision loss. It includes open-angle glaucoma, the most common type, as well as closed-angle glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma develops slowly over time without pain, while closed-angle glaucoma can present gradually or suddenly with severe eye pain and other symptoms. Risk factors include high eye pressure, family history, and high blood pressure. While treatment can slow or stop progression if caught early, vision loss from glaucoma that has already occurred is permanent.

Uploaded by

reine
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases which result in damage to the optic nerve and vision

loss.[1] The most common type is open-angle glaucoma with less common types including closed-
angle glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma.[1] Open-angle glaucoma develops slowly over time
and there is no pain.[1] Peripheral vision may begin to decrease followed by central vision resulting in
blindness if not treated.[1] Closed-angle glaucoma can present gradually or suddenly.[2] The sudden
presentation may involve severe eye pain, blurred vision, mid-dilated pupil, redness of the eye, and
nausea.[1][2] Vision loss from glaucoma, once it has occurred, is permanent.[1]
Risk factors for glaucoma include increased pressure in the eye, a family history of the condition,
and high blood pressure.[1] For eye pressures a value of greater than 21 mmHg or 2.8 kPa is often
used with higher pressures leading to a greater risk.[2][5]However, some may have high eye pressure
for years and never develop damage.[2] Conversely, optic nerve damage may occur with normal
pressure, known as normal-tension glaucoma.[6] The mechanism of open-angle glaucoma is believed
to be slow exit of aqueous humor through the trabecular meshwork while in closed-angle glaucoma
the iris blocks the trabecular meshwork.[2]Diagnosis is by a dilated eye examination.[1] Often the optic
nerve shows an abnormal amount of cupping.[2]
If treated early it is possible to slow or stop the progression of disease with
medication, laser treatment, or surgery.[1][7] The goal of these treatments is to decrease eye
pressure.[2] A number of different classes of glaucoma medication are available.[2] Laser treatments
may be effective in both open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma.[2] A number of types of glaucoma
surgeries may be used in people who do not respond sufficiently to other measures.[2] Treatment of
closed-angle glaucoma is a medical emergency.[1]
About 6 to 67 million people have glaucoma globally.[2][4] The disease affects about 2 million people in
the United States.[2] It occurs more commonly among older people.[1] Closed-angle glaucoma is more
common in women.[2] Glaucoma has been called the "silent thief of sight" because the loss of vision
usually occurs slowly over a long period of time.[8] Worldwide, glaucoma is the second-leading cause
of blindness after cataracts.[2][9] The word "glaucoma" is from Ancient Greek glaukos which means
blue, green, or gray.[10] In English, the word was used as early as 1587 but did not become
commonly used until after 1850, when the development of the ophthalmoscope allowed people to
see the optic nerve damage.

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