Glaucoma is a condition that damages your eye's optic nerve. It's often linked to a build-up of pressure inside your eye. Glaucoma tends to run in families. You usually don’t get it until later in life but gets worse over time.
Symptoms:
- Acute Closed- or Narrow-Angle Glaucoma
People often describe this as “the worst eye pain of my life.” Symptoms strike quickly and include:
• Severe throbbing eye pain
• Eye redness
• Headaches (on the same side as the affected eye)
• Blurry or foggy vision
• Halos around lights
• Dilated pupil
• Nausea and vomiting
- Congenital Glaucoma in Infants
This usually shows up in newborns or during your baby’s first few years. Symptoms include:
• Tearing, sensitivity to light, and eyelid spasms
• A larger cornea and clouding of the normally transparent cornea
• Habitual rubbing of the eyes, squinting, or keeping the eyes closed much of the time
Risks:
The increased pressure in your eye, called intraocular pressure, can damage your optic nerve, which sends images to your brain. If the damage worsens, glaucoma can cause permanent vision loss or even total blindness within a few years.
Treatment:
Most people with glaucoma have no early symptoms or pain. Visit your eye doctor regularly so they can diagnose and treat glaucoma before you have long-term vision loss. If you lose vision, it can’t be brought back. But lowering eye pressure can help you keep the sight you have. Most people with glaucoma who follow their treatment plan and have regular eye exams can keep their vision.
