What You Need To Know About Glaucoma

What You Need To Know About Glaucoma

Glaucoma, a set of eye disorders, can damage the optic nerve. The optic nerve is critical for sight because it transmits images from the eye to the brain. High intraocular pressure is a common cause of optic nerve damage. But even with regular eye pressure, new smyrna beach glaucoma can develop.

Though it typically affects the elderly, glaucoma can manifest at any age. For those over the age of 60, it is a major contributor to vision loss. 

Symptoms

Glaucoma symptoms vary widely depending on the cause and severity of the disease.

Glaucoma, open-angle type

  • Early on, there are no obvious signs of anything wrong.
  • Slowly, you begin to experience blind spots in your peripheral vision. Peripheral vision is another name for side vision.
  • Later stages include impaired central vision.

Glaucoma with acute angle closure

  • Terrible headache
  • Ocular ache that cannot be ignored
  • Diarrhea and/or vomiting
  • Vision impairment
  • Luminous haloes, or colored rings,
  • Discoloration of the eyes

Glaucoma of normal tension

  • Early on, there are no obvious signs of anything wrong.
  • Vision gradually deteriorated
  • Late-stage loss of peripheral vision

Childhood glaucoma

  • babies with hazy or unfocused eyes
  • Infants are blinking more than usual.
  • Cry-free tears (in newborns).
  • Vision impairment
  • Progressive myopic nearsightedness
  • Headache

Glaucoma of the pigment epithelium

  • Luminous haloes
  • Exercise-induced blurred vision
  • Reduced peripheral vision with time

Causes

Damage to the optic nerve leads to glaucoma. The slow deterioration of this nerve causes blind spots in the affected eye. This nerve injury is typically associated with increased pressure in the eye, albeit the exact cause is unknown.

The accumulation of fluid that normally circulates throughout the eye causes elevated intraocular pressure. Aqueous humor is another name for this fluid. Drainage occurs through a tissue often found at the junction of the iris and cornea. The trabecular meshwork is another name for this tissue. The cornea plays a critical role in vision by allowing light to enter the eye. Eye pressure can rise if the eye produces too much fluid or if the drainage system is not functioning normally.

Causes of Alarm

Vision loss from glaucoma may occur before any symptoms appear. The following variables should be considered risks.

  • Increased pressure inside the eye, or intraocular pressure
  • Aged 55 and up
  • Descent from Africa, Asia, or Latin America
  • Glaucoma in the family history
  • Diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure, and sickle cell anemia are just a few examples of the many diseases and disorders that
  • Centrally thin and fragile corneas
  • Abnormally poor or good eyesight
  • Traumatic eye damage and specific forms of eye surgery
  • Using corticosteroid medications, especially eye drops, for an extended period of time