Everything You Need To Know About Glaucoma
Glaucoma is caused by fluid accumulation in the eye, which damages the optic nerve. If left untreated, high eye pressure can permanently damage eyesight. Glaucoma is the second biggest cause of blindness in the world. Treatments — including eyedrops, surgeries, and laser treatments — can slow down vision loss and save your sight. Consult Dr. Iftikhar Chaudhry Hamilton today to learn more.
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is an umbrella term that refers to several eye illnesses that cause damage to the optic nerve. It is the most prevalent type of optic nerve injury that results in visual loss.
In most situations, fluid accumulates in the front of your eye. This additional fluid puts pressure on your eye, gradually causing optic nerve damage. This is known as eye pressure or intraocular pressure (IOP). Some persons with normal ocular pressure develop glaucoma. Poorly managed or untreated glaucoma can result in irreversible visual loss and blindness.
Most people acquire glaucoma in both of their eyes. However, the condition may be worse in one at first. One eye with open-angle glaucoma may be severely injured, while the other is just moderately afflicted. People with one eye affected by closed-angle glaucoma have a 40% to 80% likelihood of acquiring the same form of glaucoma in the other eye within five to ten years.
Is glaucoma common?
Glaucoma is a prevalent age-related eye condition that affects around 3 million Americans. It is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, behind cataracts.
Types of glaucoma
Glaucoma is classified into numerous kinds, including:
- Open-angle glaucoma
This most frequently affects up to 90% of glaucoma patients in the United States. It happens when resistance builds up in the drainage tubes of your eyes. Your drainage ditches look to be open and operational. Fluid in your eye can accumulate over months or years, putting pressure on your optic nerve. Because most people do not have symptoms, the condition may go undiagnosed for years.
- Closed-angle glaucoma
This uncommon variety, angle-closure or narrow-angle glaucoma, sometimes manifests quickly (acutely). It happens when the angle between your iris and cornea becomes too small. It might occur if your pupil changes and gets excessively large (dilated) too rapidly. This clogs your drainage canals, preventing aqueous fluid from exiting your eye and raising your eye pressure. Severe symptoms like eye discomfort and headaches need rapid medical treatment.
- Normal tension glaucoma
Even when eye pressure is normal or not particularly high, one in every three persons has an optic nerve injury. What causes normal-tension glaucoma is unknown to experts. This form is also known as low-tension or normal-pressure glaucoma. This kind is more frequent among Asian Americans or persons of Asian origin.
