WHAT IS GLAUCOMA?

Types of Glaucoma

There are several types of glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma occurs when the eye fails to drain properly. Angle-closure glaucoma occurs when the eye does not drain properly due to the narrowness of the drainage space between the iris and the cornea. 

Other types of glaucoma include secondary glaucoma, which is a result of cataracts or diabetes, and normal-tension glaucoma, which is when the pressure is normal but a blind spot or nerve damage has occurred. Pigmentary glaucoma is when tiny pieces of the pigment from the iris clog the eye’s drainage system. 

Causes & Risk Factors

With normal eye functioning, fluid flows through a channel in the eye. This channel acts as a drain to keep the fluid from building up. For people with glaucoma, this channel is blocked. This can be due to an eye injury, but in most cases, it isn’t clearly understood what causes glaucoma to develop. Glaucoma is difficult to detect because there are no symptoms other than the loss of vision. There are some risk factors to look out for, however. 

Glaucoma affects adults over 40 years of age, although younger people can also experience it. It is believed to be hereditary. Ethnicity is another risk factor with higher rates of the disease found among African Americans as well as those of Scandinavian, Irish, Russian, Hispanic, and Japanese descent. Other risk factors include a previous eye injury, poor vision, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and sickle cell anemia. 

Treatment for Glaucoma

Regular eye exams are necessary to test for glaucoma. As a part of the examination, an eye doctor measures eye pressure and tests the optic nerve for damage. The overall vision is checked and the cornea is measured. An inspection of the drainage angle is also conducted.

Damage caused by glaucoma cannot be reversed, however, it can be slowed. Pressure on the eye can be relieved which limits vision loss. It’s important to catch glaucoma in its early stages. The doctor may also prescribe eye drops and oral medications. Laser treatment or surgery may also be recommended.

What Does Glaucoma Look Like?

In most cases glaucoma does not look like anything from the outside. The National Eye Institute notes that at first, glaucoma does not usually have any symptoms, so an eye with glaucoma typically looks normal in the mirror. That is why glaucoma is found during an eye exam and not by how the eye looks.

What glaucoma looks like to the person who has it is a slow loss of vision, usually starting with side (peripheral) vision, especially the part of your vision closest to your nose. Because the change is gradual, many people do not notice it until the disease is advanced.

The exception is an angle-closure glaucoma attack, which does show. The symptoms the NEI lists are intense eye pain, a red eye, blurry vision, and an upset stomach (nausea). Treat those symptoms as an emergency and get seen right away. Family Eye Physicians offers urgent eye care visits, and you can read more about glaucoma treatment in Chicago.

Schedule Your Glaucoma Test Today

Contact Family Eye Physicians Laser Centers today for a complete eye exam to test for glaucoma. Our team of expert doctors and eye care professionals also provide laser cataract surgery, premium cataract implants, diabetic laser treatment, laser vision correction, and more. We serve patients in Buffalo Grove, Orland Park, Oak Lawn, and the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago. Schedule an appointment online or call us today at 708-636-9393.