Total Vision Eyecare
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the internal pressure of your eye rises to a point that the optic nerve is damaged. The pressure that builds up is due to a problem in the flow or drainage of fluid normally produced in your eye. Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the U.S.
Causes
The exact cause of glaucoma is not known. In general, this drainage mechanism for fluid produced in your eyes can become blocked, or you may simply produce too much fluid and overwhelm this mechanism. This results in fluid building up within your eye and increasing pressure on the optic nerve. The nerve fibers and blood vessels in the optic nerve can easily be damaged by pressure.
Glaucoma and Age
Glaucoma most frequently occurs in individuals over the age of 40 and there is a hereditary tendency for the development of the disease in some families. Primary open-angle glaucoma is more common among blacks than whites, causes damage at an earlier age and leads to blindness at a much greater rate. There is also a greater tendency for glaucoma to develop in individuals who are nearsighted or who have diabetes.
Symptoms
The signs or symptoms of glaucoma can vary depending on the type.
Primary open-angle glaucoma often develops gradually and painlessly. There are no early warning signs. It can gradually destroy your vision without you knowing it. The first indication may occur after some vision has already been lost.
Acute angle-closure glaucoma, which results from a sudden blockage of drainage channels in your eye, causes a rapid build up of pressure accompanied by blurred vision, the appearance of colored rings around lights and pain or redness in the eyes.
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