Glaucoma

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve, which is the part of the eye that carries the images we see to the brain. Your eye has pressure just like your blood, and when this intraocular pressure increases to dangerous levels, it damages the optic nerve. This can result in decreased peripheral vision and, eventually, blindness.

Although there are many types of glaucoma, open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the condition. Open-angle glaucoma is a pattern of vision loss associated with increased pressure inside the eye. Studies suggest that lowering eye pressure may slow the risk of further progression of glaucoma. Other types include congenital glaucoma, pigmentary glaucoma and secondary glaucoma.

Glaucoma is caused by fluid pressure within the eye, pushing against the optic nerve and potentially causing damage. Clear liquid, called the aqueous humor, circulates inside the front portion of the eye. A small amount of this fluid is produced constantly, and an equal amount flows out of the eye through a microscopic drainage system, maintaining a constant level of pressure within the eye. (This liquid is not part of the tears on the outer surface of the eye.)

Because the eye is a closed structure, if the drainage area for the aqueous humor, the drainage angle, is blocked, the excess fluid cannot flow out of the eye.

Regular eye examinations by your ophthalmologist are the best way to detect glaucoma. A glaucoma screening that checks only the pressure of the eye is not sufficient to determine if you have glaucoma. The only sure way to detect glaucoma is to have a complete eye examination.

The Nielsen Eye Center considers many kinds of information to determine your risk for developing the disease.

The most important risk factors include:

• Age
• Family history of glaucoma
• African ancestry
• Past eye injuries

Your surgeon at The Nielsen Eye Center will weigh all of these factors before deciding whether you need treatment for glaucoma, or whether you should be monitored closely as a glaucoma suspect. This means your risk of developing glaucoma is higher than normal.