As you grow older, you’re more susceptible to eye diseases and conditions that can cause permanent vision loss. Glaucoma is one of those diseases. The following FAQs from Avery Eye Clinic provide more information about glaucoma causes, symptoms, and treatment.
What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a serious eye disease that can cause optic nerve damage. Fluid buildup in your eye can cause eye pressure to rise above normal, damaging your optic nerve and leading to vision loss.
What Causes Glaucoma?
The cause of glaucoma is unknown. Normally, eye fluid would drain through passages in your eyes. If these passages become blocked, fluid can build up to dangerous levels, putting undue pressure on your optic nerve. This pressure is what causes optic nerve damage and ultimately, vision loss. Eye pressure can also increase due to eye injuries, tumors, or infections.
Who’s at Risk of Getting Glaucoma?
Hispanics, African Americans, and seniors over 60 years of age are at risk of developing this condition and losing their sight.
How Does Glaucoma Damage Your Sight?
Your optic nerve is responsible for transmitting visual information to your brain. Damage to the optic nerve can hinder the amount or quality of information that’s transmitted, resulting in vision loss.
Diagnosed early on, your Tupelo, Saltillo, Verona, and Fulton optometry specialist can help you manage glaucoma symptoms to minimize further loss of vision. The vision that has been lost, however, cannot be restored. Left unchecked, glaucoma can lead to blindness.
What Are the Symptoms of Glaucoma?
Glaucoma symptoms vary depending on what type of glaucoma you have:
- Primary open-angle glaucoma generally has no early symptoms due to developing gradually over the years. By the time the disease is detected, you could already have permanent vision loss.
- Acute angle-closure glaucoma occurs after fluid drainage channels in your eyes suddenly become clogged, causing a rapid rise in eye pressure to threaten your optic nerve. As damage occurs, you may experience such symptoms as pain, redness, blurred vision, or the appearance of halos around lights.
Your optometry specialist can diagnose glaucoma by conducting eye tests to measure the pressure in your eyes. We’ll also examine your optic nerve and test your field of vision to evaluate how glaucoma has affected your sight.
How Is Glaucoma Treated?
Your optometry specialist may recommend prescription eye drops or other medications to help manage your glaucoma symptoms. Treatments are geared toward lowering eye pressure to prevent further vision loss. Depending on the severity of your condition, we may recommend laser therapy or eye surgery.
Schedule an Appointment with Our Optometrist for Glaucoma Treatment in The Woodlands, Huntsville, and Conroe, TX
Call Avery Eye Clinic today at (936) 539-4500 for more information or to schedule an appointment with our eye doctor.