Symptoms, Signs, And Treatments: What Is Glaucoma?

Open angle glaucoma accounts for somewhat less than ninety percent of all cases in the United States, and involves gradual damage to the optic nerve, affecting either or both eyes over a typically long period of time.The slow onset of this form of the disease can make it especially difficult to diagnose before damage has already been done.

Closed angle glaucoma occurs when a normally-permeable tissue called the trabecular meshwork behind the iris of the eye loses its permeability. Fluid pools in the eye, rather than flowing out, causing optic pressure to increase dramatically. The first part of the eye to sustain damage as a result of this pressure is the most sensitive, the optic nerve. Closed angle glaucoma has a faster onset, as the permeability of the drainage tissue decreases more rapidly than in cases of open angle glaucoma. Symptoms of closed angle glaucoma include a sudden blurriness of vision, including redness of the eye, accompanied by pain and sometimes nausea or vomiting.

Congenital, infantile, or juvenile glaucoma is so-named for its early onset, generally being caused by a strong predisposition from birth. Infantile glaucoma can sometimes be recognized by the clouding and teariness visible in the child's eyes and a notable sensitivity to light. Unless treated, congenital glaucoma, like any glaucoma, can result in eventual vision loss or total blindness.

Symptoms of glaucoma vary, depending upon the type and severity of the condition. As open angle glaucoma is the most common sort, it is likely that no symptoms will result save overall vision loss. Closed angle or acute glaucoma may result in severe pain and pressure in the eyes, along with inflammation and redness, as well as the nausea and vision loss associated with that form of glaucoma. Additionally, while open angle glaucoma tends to affect both eyes, closed angle glaucoma tends to affect one eye at a time.

As nerve cells rarely regenerate themselves once damaged, glaucoma's effects are most commonly irreversible, though some cases of congenital glaucoma have been reported reversed to certain degrees. Treatment for the disease involves lowering intraocular, or eye pressure so that further damage is not sustained by the optic nerve. There are several varieties of medication that may have this effect. Most medications that constrict, or help to close, the pupil can be recommended for use with glaucoma, as this can help to relieve some pressure from the eye.

It is important to contact a physician if one begins to notice the appearance of blind spots or blurring in the peripheral vision of the eyes, or if other symptoms indicative of glaucoma occur, as described previously. Those with a family history of glaucoma should have an eye exam once every year after the age of forty to help ensure early detection of the condition, should it arise.