Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, the health of which is vital for good vision. This damage is often caused by an abnormally high pressure in your eye, but can also be caused by normal or low pressure. There are two major types of glaucoma, primary open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma (narrow angle glaucoma).

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60. It can occur at any age but is more common in older adults.

Importance of Early Diagnosis of Glaucoma 

Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs. The effect is so gradual that you may not notice a change in vision until the condition is at an advanced stage. Although vision loss due to glaucoma can’t be recovered, it’s important to have regular eye exams that include measurements of your eye pressure so a diagnosis can be made in its early stages and treated appropriately.

If glaucoma is diagnosed early, vision loss can be slowed or prevented. If you have the condition, you’ll generally need treatment for the rest of your life.

Primary-angle glaucoma is the major type of glaucoma and occurs when the eye is unable to drain fluid well as it should, and as a result, pressure builds up and starts to damage the optic nerve. This type of glaucoma is painless and causes no changes to vision at the start. Angle-closure glaucoma happens when the iris is very close to the cornea thereby blocking the drainage angle of their eye. When the drainage angle is blocked, pressure rises quickly in the eye. This condition is called an acute attack. Some signs/symptoms of acute attack include blurry vision, severe eye pain, headache, and the presence or rainbow coloured rings or halos around light.

Contact us today to discuss how our specialists can help manage your eye health, including glaucoma treatments.