Yes No. Watch this video for tips and advice from glaucoma specialist Terri Pickering, MD. Read more ». Where the Money Goes. More information ». Like Us on Facebook. We appreciate support from corporations who believe in our mission to educate glaucoma patients and speed a cure. This raised pressure may damage the optic nerve, resulting in gradual vision changes. Often, your peripheral side vision is affected first, so the change in your vision may not be immediately apparent.
With time, your central direct vision will also begin to be affected. While glaucoma is most common in people over age 60, it can affect anyone at any age. A number of other factors may put you at a higher risk of developing glaucoma, including a family history of glaucoma and being of African-American descent.
Other risk factors include diabetes, myopia short-sightedness , hypertension high blood pressure and ocular hypertension raised eye pressure. If you have one or more risk factors, you should schedule an eye exam every at least once every two years. Glaucoma has very few symptoms in the early stages. If glaucoma is recognized early, vision loss can be slowed or prevented. If you have the condition, you'll generally need treatment for the rest of your life.
The signs and symptoms of glaucoma vary depending on the type and stage of your condition. For example:. If left untreated, glaucoma will eventually cause blindness. Even with treatment, about 15 percent of people with glaucoma become blind in at least one eye within 20 years.
Promptly go to an emergency room or an eye doctor's ophthalmologist's office if you experience some of the symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma, such as severe headache, eye pain and blurred vision. Glaucoma is the result of damage to the optic nerve. As this nerve gradually deteriorates, blind spots develop in your visual field. For reasons that doctors don't fully understand, this nerve damage is usually related to increased pressure in the eye.
Elevated eye pressure is due to a buildup of a fluid aqueous humor that flows throughout the inside 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 drainage system doesn't work properly, the fluid can't flow out at its normal rate and eye pressure increases.
Glaucoma tends to run in families. In some people, scientists have identified genes related to high eye pressure and optic nerve damage.
Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease. The drainage angle formed by the cornea and iris remains open, but the trabecular meshwork is partially blocked. This causes pressure in the eye to gradually increase. This pressure damages the optic nerve. NEI also funds research on new treatment options.
Search the site. Print this Page. On this page:. At a glance: Glaucoma Early Symptoms:. Loss of side peripheral vision, blind spots, blindness.
Dilated eye exam with visual field testing. Medicine usually eye drops , laser treatment, surgery. What is glaucoma? What are the types of glaucoma? Learn more about the types of glaucoma. What are the symptoms of glaucoma? Am I at risk for glaucoma? When to get help right away Angle-closure glaucoma can cause these sudden symptoms: Intense eye pain Upset stomach nausea Red eye Blurry vision If you have any of these symptoms, go to your doctor or an emergency room now.
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