Brief Outline on What You Need to Know About Glaucoma

While many people may have heard the term glaucoma, it is not uncommon to find that a majority do not know what this illness entails. You may be familiar with the fact that it is an eye problem, but do you understand the causes and symptoms? The reality is that glaucoma affects a good number of individuals. Therefore, it is imperative for your own eye health, to familiarise yourself with this condition. This article seeks to highlight a few of the primary things that you should be aware of concerning glaucoma.

What type of eye condition is glaucoma?

When a patient develops glaucoma, it means that they have damaged their optic nerve. When glaucoma is not addressed, you are at high risk of losing your sight in its entirety—this condition is one of the leading reasons why people develop blindness. Therefore, it is obligatory to seek medical attention if you notice any changes to your eyesight. Some of the signs of the onset of glaucoma include the development of tunnel vision, experiencing unexplained blind spots, progressive blurring of your vision and you could also have eye pain. Some individuals also develop symptoms away from their eyes such as vomiting and nausea.

What causes glaucoma?

The tricky thing about glaucoma is that this condition can come about due to multiple reasons. Hence, it is essential for individuals to familiarise themselves with this eye condition so that they can be aware of whether they are at risk of developing this illness. Some of the common causes of glaucoma include eye tumours, eye infections and blunt force trauma to the eye. The main thing that these causes have in common is that they all result in a build opt intraocular fluid. If your eye is incapable of sufficiently draining this excessive fluid, pressure builds inside the organ and poses the potential of irreparable damage to the eye vessels and optic nerves.

It is worth noting that you could also be at risk of developing glaucoma even when the pressure of your eye fluid is normal. The reason behind this cause typically stems from a problem with blood flow in the organ, so any dramatic changes to your eyesight should compel you to set an eye appointment with your optometrist.

What is the treatment for glaucoma?

Your treatment options once you develop glaucoma will depend on the severity of your specific condition. For minor glaucoma, your optometrist may prescribe eye drops. Nevertheless, if the disorder has progressed, you may require laser eye surgery.