Glaucoma is a general term used to describe a group of eye disorders that damage your optic nerve. It is the most common form of optic nerve damage leading to vision loss.

 

In most cases, fluid builds up in the front part of your eye. This extra fluid puts pressure on your eye, gradually damaging your optic nerve. The name of this pressure is intraocular pressure (IOP), or eye pressure. Some people have normal eye pressure and still get glaucoma. Untreated glaucoma or poorly managed glaucoma can lead to permanent and irreversible vision loss and blindness.

 

Most people develop glaucoma in both eyes, although the disease initially may be worse in one eye. With open-angle glaucoma, one eye may have moderate or severe damage, while the other eye may be mildly affected. People with closed-angle glaucoma in one eye have a 40% to 80% chance of developing the same type of glaucoma in the other eye within five to 10 years.

 

Glaucoma is a common age-related eye issue that affects an estimated 3 million Americans. Globally, it is the second leading cause of blindness after cataracts.

 

What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

People want to know what the early warning symptoms of glaucoma are. The problem is that for some types of glaucoma, there are not any early warning symptoms, and changes to vision can happen gradually, so the symptoms are easy to miss. Because many people with open-angle glaucoma do not have any noticeable symptoms, it is very important to have routine eye exams to detect this disease in its earlier stages. Glaucoma damage is irreversible, so you need early detection and treatment to prevent blindness.

 

Closed-angle glaucoma has more severe symptoms that tend to come on suddenly.

 

With any type, you may experience:

 

Glaucoma can occur without any cause, but many factors can affect it. The most important of these factors is intraocular eye pressure. Your eyes produce a fluid called aqueous humor that nourishes them. This liquid flows through your pupil to the front of your eye. In a healthy eye, the fluid leaves through the drainage canals located between your iris and cornea.

 

With glaucoma, the resistance increases in your drainage canals. The fluid has nowhere to go, so it builds up in your eye. This excess fluid puts pressure on your eye. Eventually, this elevated eye pressure can damage your optic nerve and lead to glaucoma.

 

Glaucoma can affect anyone, but the risk increases with age. People who are Black and Hispanic are much more likely to get glaucoma than other ethnic groups, and they tend to develop the disease earlier in life. Asian and Inuit populations are also more susceptible to a specific form of glaucoma known as angle-closure glaucoma or closed-angle glaucoma.

 

People with diabetes are twice as likely to get glaucoma. Other risk factors include:

 

Farsightedness or hyperopia (for closed-angle glaucoma).

High blood pressure (hypertension and very low blood pressure (hypotension)

Long-term use of corticosteroids.

Nearsightedness or myopia (for open-angle glaucoma).

Previous eye injury or surgery.

 

Untreated glaucoma can lead to the faster development of permanent vision loss or blindness. Treatments can slow down additional vision loss, but they can not restore lost vision. It is important to see an eye doctor right away if you have eye pain, severe headaches or vision problems.

 

Medications to treat glaucoma

Many types of prescription eye drops can treat glaucoma. Some decrease fluids and increase drainage to improve eye pressure. Because glaucoma is a lifelong condition, you may need to use daily eye drops for life. You may have to apply them more than once a day.

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new delivery device for bimatoprost, a glaucoma treatment that is been available as eye drops. Now, you can get an implant that dissolves and works for several months. Your eye care provider places the bimatoprost implant (Durysta®) into your eye. Currently, you can only have it placed once in each eye.

 

Laser therapy to treat glaucoma

Your eye doctor uses a laser (a strong beam of light) to help improve fluid drainage from your eye. Your provider may suggest lasers as a first-line therapy instead of drops or in addition to eye drops. Having laser treatment may not replace the use of eye drops completely. The results from laser treatments vary but can last for years in some cases. Your provider may be able to repeat some types of laser treatments.

 

Surgery to treat glaucoma

Surgery is another way to help reduce eye pressure. It is more invasive but can also achieve better eye pressure control faster than drops or lasers. Surgery can help slow down vision loss, but it can not restore lost vision or cure glaucoma. There are many types of surgeries for glaucoma, and depending on the specific type and severity, your eye doctor may choose one over another.

 

For instance, there is traditional surgery that involves cutting your eye and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (called MIGS). There are many types of MIGS procedures available, including different types of stents or devices used to improve the outflow of fluid from your eye. The MIGS procedures typically take less time to perform and have a faster recovery time with potentially fewer risks than traditional glaucoma surgeries. The types of surgeries available for glaucoma, especially the less invasive MIGS procedures, continue to expand and evolve.

 

What are the complications of glaucoma?

An estimated 1 in 10 people with glaucoma develop some degree of visual impairment. Blindness is less common and affects 5% of people with glaucoma.

 

Can glaucoma be cured?

No, there is no cure for glaucoma. However, you can manage symptoms and stop the disease from getting worse.

 

What is the most effective treatment for glaucoma?

There is not one best treatment for glaucoma. Your provider may suggest one treatment for you and a different one for someone else who has glaucoma.

 

Cleveland