Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the internal pressure in
your eyes increases enough to damage the nerve fibers in your optic nerve and
cause vision loss. The increase in pressure happens when the passages that
normally allow fluid in your eyes to drain become clogged or blocked. The
reasons that the passages become blocked are not known.
Glaucoma is one of
the leading causes of blindness in the U.S. It most often occurs in people over
age 40. People with a family history of glaucoma, African Americans, and those
who are very nearsighted or diabetic are at a higher risk of developing the
disease.
The most common type of glaucoma develops gradually and painlessly, without
symptoms. A rarer type occurs rapidly and its symptoms may include blurred
vision, loss of side vision, seeing colored rings around lights and pain or
redness in the eyes.
Glaucoma cannot be prevented, but if diagnosed and treated early, it can be
controlled. Vision lost to glaucoma cannot be restored. That is why the American
Optometric Association recommends annual eye examinations for people at risk for
glaucoma (your doctor may, depending on your condition, recommend more frequent
examinations). A comprehensive optometric examination will include a tonometry
test to measure the pressure in your eyes; an examination of the inside of your
eyes and optic nerves; and a visual field test to check for changes in central
and side vision.
The treatment for glaucoma includes prescription eye drops and medicines to
lower the pressure in your eyes. In some cases, laser treatment or surgery may
be effective in reducing pressure.
