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Glossary
of Eye terms
Glaucoma
Watch
the Video
What
is glaucoma?
Glaucoma
is an eye disease in which the passages that allow fluid in
the eye to drain become clogged or blocked, or there is too
much fluid produced inside of the eye. This causes increased
pressure inside the eye, which can damage the optic nerve and
can cause vision loss.
Open-angle
glaucoma, the most common form, affects about three million
people in the U.S., half of whom don't know they have it. It
has no symptoms at first. But over the years it can steal your
sight. With early treatment, you can often protect your eyes
against serious vision loss and blindness.
What
causes it?
At
the front of the eye, there is a small space called the anterior
chamber. Clear fluid flows in and out of the chamber to bathe
and nourish nearby tissues. With glaucoma, for still unknown
reasons, the fluid drains too slowly out of the eye. As the
fluid builds up, the pressure inside the eye rises. Unless this
pressure is controlled, it may cause damage to the optic nerve
and other parts of the eye and loss of vision.
What
is the optic nerve?
The
optic nerve is a bundle of more than a million fibers. It connects
the retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back
of the eye, with the brain.
Who
is at risk?
Although anyone can get glaucoma,
some people are at higher risk than others. They include:
- People
with a family history of glaucoma.
What
are the symptoms of glaucoma?
At
first, open-angle glaucoma has no symptoms. Vision stays normal,
and there is no pain. As glaucoma remains untreated, people
may notice that although they see things clearly in front of
them, they miss objects to the side and out of the corner of
their eye.
Without
treatment, people with glaucoma may find that they suddenly
have no side vision. It may seem as though they are looking
through a tunnel. Over time, the remaining forward vision may
decrease until there is no vision left.
How
is glaucoma detected?
Most
people think that they have glaucoma if pressure in the eye
increases. This is not always true. High pressure puts you at
risk for glaucoma. It may not mean that you have the disease.
Whether
or not you get glaucoma depends on the level of pressure that
your optic nerve can tolerate without being damaged. This level
is different for each person.
To
detect glaucoma, your eye doctor will do the following tests:
-
Pupil
dilation: This examination provides your eye
doctor with a better view of the optic nerve to check for
signs of damage. To do this, your eye care professional
places drops into the eye to dilate (enlarge) the pupil.
After the examination, your close-up vision may remain blurred
for several hours and you may be extra sensitive to light.
Can
glaucoma be treated?
Yes.
Although there is no cure, treatment often can control it. This
makes early diagnosis and treatment important to protect your
sight.
Glaucoma
treatments include:
-
Laser
surgery (also called laser trabeculoplasty):
Laser surgery helps fluid drain out of the eye. Although
your eye doctor may suggest laser surgery at any time, it
is often done after trying treatment with medicines. In
many cases, you will need to keep taking glaucoma drugs
even after laser surgery.
What
can you do to protect your vision from glaucoma?
If
you are being treated for glaucoma, be sure to take your glaucoma
medicine and see your eye doctor regularly.
You
can also help protect the vision of family members and friends
who may be at high risk for glaucoma. Encourage them to have
frequent eye examinations.
Excerpted from: National
Eye Institute ©2005
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