Glaucoma

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a chronic eye disease that harms the optic nerve over time. Without proper treatment, it can lead to vision loss. As the condition advances, sight may narrow into tunnel vision or progress to complete blindness.

Symptoms of Glaucoma:

Glaucoma can occur in two main forms: acute or chronic. In chronic glaucoma, symptoms are often absent in the early stages since the condition develops gradually. Peripheral vision slowly deteriorates, and if left untreated, the damage can progress, causing elevated intraocular pressure and continual vision loss.

Acute glaucoma, on the other hand, presents more suddenly and severely. Patients may experience cloudy or blurred vision, difficulty seeing clearly, especially in natural light, along with eye pain, nausea, vomiting, and persistently blurred sight due to a sharp rise in eye pressure.

In cases of acute angle-closure glaucoma, redness in the eye is common. This occurs because the pupil fails to respond properly to light, expanding instead of constricting. As more light enters the eye, the cornea may swell, leading to additional complications such as higher eye pressure, reduced visual clarity, and a narrowing of the drainage angle.

Types of Glaucoma:

There are several types of glaucoma, with the following being the most common:

Open-angle glaucoma: Caused by age-related clogging of the eye’s drainage channels, leading to fluid buildup and increased pressure that impairs light reception.

Normal-tension glaucoma: Results from reduced blood flow to the optic nerve, damaging it and narrowing peripheral vision. Regular eye exams help monitor and manage pressure levels.

Congenital glaucoma: A rare inherited condition where the eye’s drainage system doesn’t fully develop before birth, increasing pressure and risking optic nerve damage.

Secondary open-angle glaucoma: Often caused by eye injury or inflammation, leading to complications like iritis or cataracts. Typically treated with steroid injections or topical drops.

Pigmentary glaucoma: Occurs when pigment granules from the iris detach and block drainage, raising pressure and damaging the optic nerve.

Exfoliative glaucoma: Caused by flaky material from the lens surface accumulating in the eye, obstructing drainage and increasing pressure on the optic nerve.

Treatment of Glaucoma:

Glaucoma causes optic nerve damage and peripheral vision loss. It cannot be cured, but treatment can slow or stop its progression.

Treatment depends on the type of glaucoma. Those with high eye pressure may need daily eye drops to reduce fluid buildup and lower pressure.

Since glaucoma can occur alongside other eye conditions like cataracts, ophthalmologists tailor treatment based on overall eye health and pressure levels.