What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a disease that damages the main nerve in the eye, called the optic nerve. It causes vision loss and can even lead to blindness. There are different types of glaucoma. The most common type in the United States is open-angle glaucoma. This article is about open-angle glaucoma.
What are the symptoms of glaucoma?
At first, glaucoma does not usually cause symptoms. When it does cause vision loss, it starts by affecting the edges of what you see. In other words, the center of what you look at often looks clear. But things that are off to the side do not. Some people call this “tunnel vision.” As the disease gets worse, all vision can be affected.
Is there a test for glaucoma?
Yes. To check for glaucoma, doctors can use a few different tests. They can:
- Look into the back of your eye with a magnifying tool and see if there are signs of nerve damage.
- Check how well you see things in the center of your vision, and how well you see things that are off to the side.
- Check the pressure inside your eye by pushing or blowing on your eye with a special tool. (People with glaucoma often have too much pressure inside the eye.)
Everyone age 40 and older should be tested for glaucoma at least once. Testing helps doctors find and treat the disease early, before it causes symptoms. That’s important, because treatment for glaucoma can prevent or slow down vision loss. But it cannot undo damage that has already been done.
How is glaucoma treated?
Effective treatments for glaucoma all work by lowering the pressure inside the eye. There are 3 ways to lower eye pressure: eye drops, surgery, or laser therapy.
- Eye drop medicines : There are 2 main types of glaucoma eye drops: prostaglandins and beta blockers.
- Laser therapy : Laser therapy improves the way fluid drains from the eye.
- Surgery : Surgery involves making a small opening or inserting a tiny tube in the eye so that fluid can drain better.
