Overview

Glaucoma may be a group of eye conditions that damage the nervus opticus , the health of which is significant permanently vision. This damage is usually caused by an abnormally high in your eye.

Glaucoma is one among the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60. It can occur at any age but is more common in older adults.

Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs. The effect is so gradual that you simply might not notice a change in vision until the condition is at a complicated stage.

Because vision loss thanks to glaucoma cannot be recovered, it is vital to possess regular eye exams that include measurements of your eye pressure so a diagnosis are often made in its early stages and treated appropriately. If glaucoma is recognized early, vision loss are often slowed or prevented. If you've got the condition, you'll generally need treatment for the remainder of your life.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of glaucoma vary counting on the sort and stage of your condition. For example:

Open-angle glaucoma

Ø  Patchy blind spots in your side (peripheral) or central vision, frequently in both eyes

Ø  Tunnel vision in the advanced stages

Acute angle-closure glaucoma

Ø  Severe headache

Ø  Eye pain

Ø  Nausea and vomiting

Ø  Blurred vision

Ø  Halos around lights

Ø  Eye redness

If left untreated, glaucoma will eventually cause blindness. Even with treatment, about 15 percent of individuals with glaucoma become blind in a minimum of one eye within 20 years.

When to see a doctor

Promptly attend an ER or an eye fixed doctor's (ophthalmologist's) office if you experience a number of the symptoms of acute acute glaucoma , like severe headache, eye pain and blurred vision.

Causes

Glaucoma is that the results of damage to the nervus opticus . As this nerve gradually deteriorates, blind spots develop in your field of vision . For reasons that doctors don't fully understand, this nerve damage is typically associated with increased pressure within the eye.

Elevated eye pressure is thanks to a buildup of a fluid (aqueous humor) that flows throughout the within of your eye. This internal fluid normally drains out through a tissue called the trabecular meshwork at the angle where the iris and cornea meet. When fluid is overproduced or the system doesn't work properly, the fluid can't effuse at its normal rate and eye pressure increases.

Glaucoma tends to run in families. In some people, scientists have identified genes associated with high eye pressure and nervus opticus damage.

Risk factors

Because chronic sorts of glaucoma can destroy vision before any signs or symptoms are apparent, remember of those risk factors:

Ø  Having high internal eye pressure (intraocular pressure)

Ø  Being over age 60

Ø  Being black, Asian or Hispanic

Ø  Having a family history of glaucoma

Ø  Having corneas that are thin in the center

Ø  Being extremely nearsighted or farsighted

Ø  Having had an eye injury or certain types of eye surgery

Ø  Taking corticosteroid medications, especially eyedrops, for a long time

Prevention

These self-care steps can assist you detect glaucoma in its early stages, which is vital in preventing vision loss or slowing its progress.

Ø     Know your family's eye health history. Glaucoma tends to run in families. If you're at increased risk, you'll need more frequent screening.

Ø     Exercise safely. Regular, moderate exercise may help prevent glaucoma by reducing eye pressure. Talk together with your doctor about an appropriate exercise program.

Ø     Take prescribed eyedrops regularly. Glaucoma eyedrops can significantly reduce the danger that prime eye pressure will reach glaucoma. To be effective, eyedrops prescribed by your doctor got to be used regularly albeit you've got no symptoms.

Ø     Wear eye protection. Serious eye injuries can lead to glaucoma. Wear eye protection when using power tools or playing high-speed racket sports in enclosed courts.

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