Glaucoma - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, the health of which is vital for good vision. This damage is often caused ... COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions FindoutaboutCOVID-19,COVID-19vaccines,andMayoClinicpatientandvisitorupdates. Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. SectionsforGlaucomaSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departments Print Overview Open-angleglaucoma Openpop-updialogbox Close Open-angleglaucoma Open-angleglaucoma Normally,fluid(aqueoushumor)intheeyeflowsfreelythroughtheanteriorchamberandexitsthroughthedrainagesystem(trabecularmeshwork).Ifthatsystemisblockedorisn'tfunctioningwell,thepressureinsidetheeye(intraocularpressure)builds,whichinturndamagestheopticnerve.Withthemostcommontypeofglaucoma,thisresultsingradualvisionloss. Glaucomaisagroupofeyeconditionsthatdamagetheopticnerve,thehealthofwhichisvitalforgoodvision.Thisdamageisoftencausedbyanabnormallyhighpressureinyoureye. Glaucomaisoneoftheleadingcausesofblindnessforpeopleovertheageof60.Itcanoccuratanyagebutismorecommoninolderadults. Manyformsofglaucomahavenowarningsigns.Theeffectissogradualthatyoumaynotnoticeachangeinvisionuntiltheconditionisatanadvancedstage. Becausevisionlossduetoglaucomacan'tberecovered,it'simportanttohaveregulareyeexamsthatincludemeasurementsofyoureyepressuresoadiagnosiscanbemadeinitsearlystagesandtreatedappropriately.Ifglaucomaisrecognizedearly,visionlosscanbeslowedorprevented.Ifyouhavethecondition,you'llgenerallyneedtreatmentfortherestofyourlife.Products&ServicesBook:MayoClinicGuidetoBetterVision SymptomsThesignsandsymptomsofglaucomavarydependingonthetypeandstageofyourcondition.Forexample: Open-angleglaucoma Patchyblindspotsinyourside(peripheral)orcentralvision,frequentlyinbotheyes Tunnelvisionintheadvancedstages Acuteangle-closureglaucoma Severeheadache Eyepain Nauseaandvomiting Blurredvision Halosaroundlights Eyeredness Ifleftuntreated,glaucomawilleventuallycauseblindness.Evenwithtreatment,about15percentofpeoplewithglaucomabecomeblindinatleastoneeyewithin20years. WhentoseeadoctorPromptlygotoanemergencyroomoraneyedoctor's(ophthalmologist's)officeifyouexperiencesomeofthesymptomsofacuteangle-closureglaucoma,suchassevereheadache,eyepainandblurredvision.   Thereisaproblemwith informationsubmittedforthisrequest.Review/updatethe informationhighlightedbelowandresubmittheform. FromMayoClinictoyourinbox Signupforfree,andstayuptodateonresearchadvancements,healthtipsandcurrenthealthtopics,likeCOVID-19,plusexpertiseonmanaginghealth. Email ErrorEmailfieldisrequired ErrorIncludeavalidemailaddress LearnmoreaboutMayoClinic’suseofdata. Toprovideyouwiththemostrelevantandhelpfulinformation,andunderstandwhich informationisbeneficial,wemaycombineyouremailandwebsiteusageinformationwith otherinformationwehaveaboutyou.IfyouareaMayoClinicpatient,thiscould includeprotectedhealthinformation.Ifwecombinethisinformationwithyourprotected healthinformation,wewilltreatallofthatinformationasprotectedhealth informationandwillonlyuseordisclosethatinformationassetforthinournoticeof privacypractices.Youmayopt-outofemailcommunicationsatanytimebyclickingon theunsubscribelinkinthee-mail. Subscribe! Thankyouforsubscribing OurHousecalle-newsletterwillkeepyouup-to-dateonthelatesthealthinformation. Sorrysomethingwentwrongwithyoursubscription Please,tryagaininacoupleofminutes Retry RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic CausesGlaucomaistheresultofdamagetotheopticnerve.Asthisnervegraduallydeteriorates,blindspotsdevelopinyourvisualfield.Forreasonsthatdoctorsdon'tfullyunderstand,thisnervedamageisusuallyrelatedtoincreasedpressureintheeye. Elevatedeyepressureisduetoabuildupofafluid(aqueoushumor)thatflowsthroughouttheinsideofyoureye.Thisinternalfluidnormallydrainsoutthroughatissuecalledthetrabecularmeshworkattheanglewheretheirisandcorneameet.Whenfluidisoverproducedorthedrainagesystemdoesn'tworkproperly,thefluidcan'tflowoutatitsnormalrateandeyepressureincreases. Glaucomatendstoruninfamilies.Insomepeople,scientistshaveidentifiedgenesrelatedtohigheyepressureandopticnervedamage. Typesofglaucomainclude: Open-angleglaucomaOpen-angleglaucomaisthemostcommonformofthedisease.Thedrainageangleformedbythecorneaandirisremainsopen,butthetrabecularmeshworkispartiallyblocked.Thiscausespressureintheeyetograduallyincrease.Thispressuredamagestheopticnerve.Ithappenssoslowlythatyoumaylosevisionbeforeyou'reevenawareofaproblem. Angle-closureglaucomaAngle-closureglaucoma,alsocalledclosed-angleglaucoma,occurswhentheirisbulgesforwardtonarroworblockthedrainageangleformedbythecorneaandiris.Asaresult,fluidcan'tcirculatethroughtheeyeandpressureincreases.Somepeoplehavenarrowdrainageangles,puttingthematincreasedriskofangle-closureglaucoma. Angle-closureglaucomamayoccursuddenly(acuteangle-closureglaucoma)orgradually(chronicangle-closureglaucoma).Acuteangle-closureglaucomaisamedicalemergency. Normal-tensionglaucomaInnormal-tensionglaucoma,youropticnervebecomesdamagedeventhoughyoureyepressureiswithinthenormalrange.Nooneknowstheexactreasonforthis.Youmayhaveasensitiveopticnerve,oryoumayhavelessbloodbeingsuppliedtoyouropticnerve.Thislimitedbloodflowcouldbecausedbyatherosclerosis—thebuildupoffattydeposits(plaque)inthearteries—orotherconditionsthatimpaircirculation. GlaucomainchildrenIt'spossibleforinfantsandchildrentohaveglaucoma.Itmaybepresentfrombirthordevelopinthefirstfewyearsoflife.Theopticnervedamagemaybecausedbydrainageblockagesoranunderlyingmedicalcondition. PigmentaryglaucomaInpigmentaryglaucoma,pigmentgranulesfromyouririsbuildupinthedrainagechannels,slowingorblockingfluidexitingyoureye.Activitiessuchasjoggingsometimesstirupthepigmentgranules,depositingthemonthetrabecularmeshworkandcausingintermittentpressureelevations. RiskfactorsBecausechronicformsofglaucomacandestroyvisionbeforeanysignsorsymptomsareapparent,beawareoftheseriskfactors: Havinghighinternaleyepressure(intraocularpressure) Beingoverage60 Beingblack,AsianorHispanic Havingafamilyhistoryofglaucoma Havingcertainmedicalconditions,suchasdiabetes,heartdisease,highbloodpressureandsicklecellanemia Havingcorneasthatarethininthecenter Beingextremelynearsightedorfarsighted Havinghadaneyeinjuryorcertaintypesofeyesurgery Takingcorticosteroidmedications,especiallyeyedrops,foralongtime PreventionTheseself-carestepscanhelpyoudetectglaucomainitsearlystages,whichisimportantinpreventingvisionlossorslowingitsprogress. Getregulardilatedeyeexaminations.Regularcomprehensiveeyeexamscanhelpdetectglaucomainitsearlystages,beforesignificantdamageoccurs.Asageneralrule,theAmericanAcademyofOphthalmologyrecommendshavingacomprehensiveeyeexameveryfiveto10yearsifyou'reunder40yearsold;everytwotofouryearsifyou're40to54yearsold;everyonetothreeyearsifyou're55to64yearsold;andeveryonetotwoyearsifyou'reolderthan65.Ifyou'reatriskofglaucoma,you'llneedmorefrequentscreening.Askyourdoctortorecommendtherightscreeningscheduleforyou. Knowyourfamily'seyehealthhistory.Glaucomatendstoruninfamilies.Ifyou'reatincreasedrisk,youmayneedmorefrequentscreening. Exercisesafely.Regular,moderateexercisemayhelppreventglaucomabyreducingeyepressure.Talkwithyourdoctoraboutanappropriateexerciseprogram. Takeprescribedeyedropsregularly.Glaucomaeyedropscansignificantlyreducetheriskthathigheyepressurewillprogresstoglaucoma.Tobeeffective,eyedropsprescribedbyyourdoctorneedtobeusedregularlyevenifyouhavenosymptoms. Weareyeprotection.Seriouseyeinjuriescanleadtoglaucoma.Weareyeprotectionwhenusingpowertoolsorplayinghigh-speedracketsportsinenclosedcourts. ByMayoClinicStaff RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Diagnosis&treatment Oct.23,2020 Print Shareon:FacebookTwitter Showreferences Whatisglaucoma?AmericanAcademyofOphthalmology.https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-glaucoma.AccessedSept.16,2020. Factsaboutglaucoma.NationalEyeInstitute.https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/glaucoma.AccessedSept.16,2020. Whatisglaucoma?GlaucomaResearchFoundation.https://www.glaucoma.org/glaucoma/.AccessedSept.16,2020. Glaucoma.AmericanOptometricAssociation.https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/glaucoma?sso=y.AccessedSept.16,2020. Overviewofglaucoma.MerckManualProfessionalVersion.https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/eye-disorders/glaucoma/overview-of-glaucoma.AccessedSept.16,2020. FerriFF.Glaucoma,openangle.In:Ferri'sClinicalAdvisor2020.Elsevier;2020.https://www.clinicalkey.com.AccessedSept.16,2020. AskMayoExpert.Glaucoma(adult).MayoClinic;2019. Alternativemedicine.GlaucomaResearchFoundation.https://www.glaucoma.org/treatment/alternative-medicine.php.AccessedSept.16,2020. Doesmarijuanahelptreatglaucomaorothereyeconditions?AmericanAcademyofOphthalmology.https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/medical-marijuana-glaucoma-treament.AccessedSept.16,2020. Comprehensiveadultmedicaleyeevaluation—­2015.AmericanAcademyofOphthalmology.https://www.aao.org/preferred-practice-pattern/comprehensive-adult-medical-eye-evaluation-2015.AccessedSept.16,2020. YamadaT(expertopinion).MayoClinic,Rochester,Minn.Oct.27,2018. Related MayoClinicResearchFindsRiskofGlaucomaBlindnessDropsbyHalf Open-angleglaucoma Products&Services Book:MayoClinicGuidetoBetterVision GlaucomaSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departments Advertisement MayoClinicdoesnotendorsecompaniesorproducts.Advertisingrevenuesupportsournot-for-profitmission. Advertising&Sponsorship Policy Opportunities AdChoices MayoClinicPress Checkoutthesebest-sellersandspecialoffersonbooksandnewslettersfromMayoClinicPress. NEW–TheEssentialDiabetesBook-MayoClinicPressNEW–TheEssentialDiabetesBookMayoCliniconIncontinence-MayoClinicPressMayoCliniconIncontinenceNEW–MayoCliniconHearingandBalance-MayoClinicPressNEW–MayoCliniconHearingandBalanceFREEMayoClinicDietAssessment-MayoClinicPressFREEMayoClinicDietAssessmentMayoClinicHealthLetter-FREEbook-MayoClinicPressMayoClinicHealthLetter-FREEbook CON-20372821 PatientCare&HealthInformation Diseases&Conditions Glaucoma