Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the nerve that carries visual messages to the brain (optic nerve) is damaged. This is usually caused by high pressure inside the eye. Damage to the optic nerve can cause a permanent loss of vision. Glaucoma needs to be diagnosed and treated early to prevent blindness.
Normally, the fluid in the front of the eye is constantly flowing from where it is formed (the ciliary body) to the front of the eye. This fluid nourishes your eye and helps to keep its shape. The area between the iris (colored part of the eye) and the cornea (the clear outer layer on the front of the eye) is called the angle. Fluid drains out through the angle, into drainage channels, and is then reabsorbed by the body. When fluid flows out too slowly, eye pressure builds up.
In open-angle glaucoma, fluid drains slowly, causing the pressure in the eye to increase. This happens even though the drainage channel for the fluid is open. One type of open-angle glaucoma is caused by injury to the eye. In some cases of open angle glaucoma, it is not known what causes the fluid to drain out too slowly.
In angle-closure glaucoma, the angle between the iris and the cornea is blocked or narrowed. When this happens, fluid is not able to drain from the eye. This can cause a pressure buildup. This can happen if the pupil is dilated too much, causing the iris to "bunch up," or if the lens†crowds†the iris and causes it to bend forward and close the angle. When this type of glaucoma happens suddenly, it is called acute angle-closure glaucoma and is a medical emergency.
Glaucoma tends to run in families. It is a common eye problem in people over age 60.
Open-angle and other chronic forms of glaucoma often have no symptoms in the early stages. In later stages, you will begin to notice a loss of vision, starting with your side vision.
Symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma may include:
Your eye care provider may:
The goal of treatment is to reduce the pressure in your eyes and decrease damage to the optic nerve. This may be done with eyedrops, pills, laser surgery, or other types of surgery. Some of these treatments reduce the amount of fluid your eyes make. Other treatments make fluid drain from the eye better.
If your healthcare provider prescribes medicine to control the pressure, you may need to take it for the rest of your life.
Smoking marijuana is NOT an effective treatment for glaucoma.
Glaucoma cannot be prevented. However, blindness can be prevented if glaucoma is treated before pressure in the eye has damaged the optic nerve too much. Learn about your family history. Chronic open-angle glaucoma often runs in families.
You may be able to help prevent glaucoma from becoming severe if you have regular eye exams that include measuring the pressure in your eye and examining your optic nerve. How often you need to see the eye care provider will depend on how severely your optic nerve is damaged.
