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Glaucoma - What is it? Symptoms, Causes, Types, and Treatment

08 Dec 2023

Glaucoma is a condition that affects your optic nerve. The condition worsens over time and is often linked to pressure buildup inside the eye. It mostly affects people in the later part of their life and often tends to run in families. The extra pressure on the eye, also known as intraocular pressure, can damage the optic nerve that sends images to the brain. Left untreated can lead to total blindness or permanent vision loss within a few years.

Most people living with glaucoma don’t show any symptoms or experience pain. Get yourself checked regularly if you are at risk of developing glaucoma. This is essential because once you lose your vision, you cannot get it back. However, lowering the eye pressure will allow you to keep your sight. Different Types of Glaucoma Glaucoma can be classified into five major types. These include:
Open-angle Glaucoma (Chronic): Chronic, or open-angle, glaucoma does not show any symptoms apart from gradual vision loss. This process can be so slow that you may not notice any signs till your vision undergoes irreparable damage.
Angle-closure Glaucoma (Acute): When the flow of aqueous humour is blocked, it may lead to a rapid buildup of fluid in the eyes. This can result in pain and a severe increase in eye pressure. This is an emergency and requires immediate medical attention.
Congenital Glaucoma: Some children are born with congenital glaucoma, which causes a defect in the visual angle. It often displays symptoms such as excessive tearing, cloudy eyes, and sensitivity to light.
Secondary Glaucoma: This is often a side-effect of eye conditions like eye tumours and cataracts. It may also be caused due to medications like corticosteroids.