Glaucoma: Causes, Types, Symptoms, Diagnosis ... - WebMD

Glaucoma is a condition that damages your eye's optic nerve. It gets worse over time. It's often linked to a buildup of pressure inside your ... MenuNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesBlogsVideosFindanOphthalmologistWhatIsGlaucoma?SymptomsTreatmentsWhatGlaucomaLooksLikeVisionProblemsCommonEyeProblemsPinkeye-ConjunctivitisGlaucomaStyesPupil&IrisProblemsCataractsMacularDegenerationEyelidProblemsChildren'sEyeHealthOcularMigrainesMoreRelatedTopicsEyeHealthReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbyWhitneySeltman, ODonDecember08,2020ArticlesOnGlaucomaWhatIsGlaucoma?SymptomsTreatmentsWhatGlaucomaLooksLikeWhatIsGlaucoma?Glaucomaisaconditionthatdamagesyoureye'sopticnerve.Itgetsworseovertime.It'softenlinkedtoabuildupofpressureinsideyoureye.Glaucomatendstoruninfamilies.Youusuallydon’tgetituntillaterinlife.Theincreasedpressureinyoureye,calledintraocularpressure,candamageyouropticnerve,whichsendsimagestoyourbrain.Ifthedamageworsens,glaucomacancausepermanentvisionlossoreventotalblindnesswithinafewyears.Mostpeoplewithglaucomahavenoearlysymptomsorpain.Visityoureyedoctorregularlysotheycandiagnoseandtreatglaucomabeforeyouhavelong-termvisionloss.Ifyoulosevision,itcan’tbebroughtback.Butloweringeyepressurecanhelpyoukeepthesightyouhave.Mostpeoplewithglaucomawhofollowtheirtreatmentplanandhaveregulareyeexamsareabletokeeptheirvision.GlaucomaCausesThefluidinsideyoureye,calledaqueoushumor,usuallyflowsoutofyoureyethroughamesh-likechannel.Ifthischannelgetsblocked,ortheeyeisproducingtoomuchfluid,theliquidbuildsup.Sometimes,expertsdon’tknowwhatcausesthisblockage.Butitcanbeinherited,meaningit’spassedfromparentstochildren.Less-commoncausesofglaucomaincludeabluntorchemicalinjurytoyoureye,severeeyeinfection,blockedbloodvesselsinsideyoureye,andinflammatoryconditions.It’srare,buteyesurgerytocorrectanotherconditioncansometimesbringiton.Itusuallyaffectsbotheyes,butitmaybeworseinonethantheother.GlaucomaRiskFactorsItmostlyaffectsadultsover40,butyoungadults,children,andeveninfantscanhaveit.AfricanAmericanpeopletendtogetitmoreoften,whenthey'reyounger,andwithmorevisionloss.You’remorelikelytogetitifyou:AreofAfricanAmerican,Irish,Russian,Japanese,Hispanic,Inuit,orScandinaviandescentAreover40HaveafamilyhistoryofglaucomaArenearsightedorfarsightedHavepoorvisionHavediabetesTakecertainsteroidmedicationssuchasprednisoneTakecertaindrugsforbladdercontrolorseizures,orsomeover-the-countercoldremediesHavehadaninjurytoyoureyeoreyesHavecorneasthatarethinnerthanusualHavehighbloodpressure,heartdisease,diabetes,orsicklecellanemiaHavehigheyepressureTypesofGlaucomaTherearetwomainkinds:Open-angleglaucoma.Thisisthemostcommontype.Yourdoctormayalsocallitwide-angleglaucoma.Thedrainstructureinyoureye(calledthetrabecularmeshwork)looksfine,butfluiddoesn’tflowoutlikeitshould.Angle-closureglaucoma.ThisismorecommoninAsia.Youmayalsohearitcalledacuteorchronicangle-closureornarrow-angleglaucoma.Youreyedoesn’tdrainlikeitshouldbecausethedrainspacebetweenyouririsandcorneabecomestoonarrow.Thiscancauseasuddenbuildupofpressureinyoureye.It’salsolinkedtofarsightednessandcataracts,acloudingofthelensinsideyoureye.Lesscommontypesofglaucomainclude:Secondaryglaucoma.Thisiswhenanothercondition,likecataractsordiabetes,causesaddedpressureinyoureye.Normal-tensionglaucoma.Thisiswhenyouhaveblindspotsinyourvisionoryouropticnerveisdamagedeventhoughyoureyepressureiswithintheaveragerange.Someexpertssayit’saformofopen-angleglaucoma.Pigmentaryglaucoma.Withthisform,tinybitsofpigmentfromyouriris,thecoloredpartofyoureye,getintothefluidinsideyoureyeandclogthedrainagecanals.GlaucomaSymptomsMostpeoplewithopen-angleglaucomadon’thavesymptoms.Ifsymptomsdodevelop,it’susuallylateinthedisease.That’swhyglaucomaisoftencalledthe"sneakthiefofvision."Themainsignisusuallyalossofside,orperipheral,vision.Symptomsofangle-closureglaucomausuallycomeonfasterandaremoreobvious.Damagecanhappenquickly.Ifyouhaveanyofthesesymptoms,getmedicalcarerightaway:SeeinghalosaroundlightsVisionlossRednessinyoureyeEyethatlookshazy(particularlyininfants)UpsetstomachorvomitingEyepainGlaucomaDiagnosisGlaucomatestsarepainlessanddon’ttakelong.Youreyedoctorwilltestyourvision.They’llusedropstowiden(dilate)yourpupilsandexamineyoureyes.They’llcheckyouropticnerveforsignsofglaucoma.Theymaytakephotographssotheycanspotchangesatyournextvisit.They’lldoatestcalledtonometrytocheckyoureyepressure.Theymayalsodoavisualfieldtesttoseeifyou'velostperipheralvision.Ifyourdoctorsuspectsglaucoma,theymayorderspecialimagingtestsofyouropticnerve.GlaucomaTreatmentYourdoctormayuseprescriptioneyedrops,oralmedications,lasersurgery,ormicrosurgerytolowerpressureinyoureye.Eyedrops.Theseeitherlowerthecreationoffluidinyoureyeorincreaseitsflowout,loweringeyepressure.Sideeffectscanincludeallergies,redness,stinging,blurredvision,andirritatedeyes.Someglaucomadrugsmayaffectyourheartandlungs.Becauseofpotentialdruginteractions,besuretotellyourdoctoraboutanyothermedicalproblemsyouhaveorothermedicationsyoutake.Alsoletthemknowifit’shardforyoutofollowaregimeninvolvingtwoorthreedifferenteyedropsoriftheyhavesideeffects.Theymaybeabletochangeyourtreatment.Oralmedication.Yourdoctormightalsoprescribemedicationforyoutotakebymouth,suchasabeta-blockeroracarbonicanhydraseinhibitor.Thesedrugscanimprovedrainageorslowthecreationoffluidinyoureye.Lasersurgery.Thisprocedurecanslightlyraisetheflowoffluidfromyoureyeifyouhaveopen-angleglaucoma.Itcanstopfluidblockageifyouhaveangle-closureglaucoma.Proceduresinclude:Trabeculoplasty.Thisopensthedrainagearea.Iridotomy.Thismakesatinyholeinyouriristoletfluidflowmorefreely.Cyclophotocoagulation.Thistreatsareasofthemiddlelayerofyoureyetolowerfluidproduction.Microsurgery.Inaprocedurecalledatrabeculectomy,yourdoctorcreatesanewchanneltodrainthefluidandeaseeyepressure.Thisformofsurgerymayneedtobedonemorethanonce.Yourdoctormightimplantatubetohelpdrainfluid.Thissurgerycanleadtotemporaryorpermanentvisionloss,aswellasbleedingorinfection.Open-angleglaucomaismostoftentreatedwithcombinationsofeyedrops,lasertrabeculoplasty,andmicrosurgery.Doctorstendtostartwithmedications,butearlylasersurgeryormicrosurgerycouldworkbetterforsomepeople.Acuteangle-closureglaucomaisusuallytreatedwithalaserprocedure.Infantorcongenitalglaucoma--meaningyou’rebornwithit--isusuallytreatedwithsurgerybecausethecauseisaproblemwithyourdrainagesystem.MarijuanaandglaucomaStudiesinthe1970sreportedthatsmokingmarijuanacouldlowereyepressure.Butitwouldtakefartoomuchtosignificantlylowereyeprocesses,anditalsolowersbloodpressure.Thatcouldwipeoutanygainsfrommarijuanabylimitingthebloodflowthatyouropticnerveneeds.ReviewsbytheNationalEyeInstituteandtheInstituteofMedicineshowthatthereisnoscientificevidencethatmarijuanaismoreeffectivethanmodernmedications.TipsforLivingWithGlaucomaGlaucomaisalifelongconditionandneedscontinualfollow-upwithyoureyedoctor.Thereareotherthingsyoucandotohelpkeepyoureyeshealthy.Getmoving.Regularexercisemayhelplowereyepressureandkeepbloodflowingtothenervesinyoureye.Someactivitiescanraisepressure,sotalktoyourdoctoraboutthebestexerciseprogramforyou.Eathealthy.Enjoyahealthy,well-roundeddiet.Itwon'tkeepyourglaucomafromgettingworse,butit'skeytokeepingyourbodyandeyeshealthy.Somestudiessuggestthatfoodhighinantioxidantscanhelpwhenyouhaveglaucoma.Eatmorenutrient-richfoodslike:Dark,leafygreensFishthat'spackedwithomega-3fattyacidsTakeyourmedicine.Besuretotakeyourdropsorpillsexactlyasdirected.Setareminderonyourphoneorwatchsoyoudon'tforget.Missingyourmedscouldmakeyourglaucomaworse.Carefulwithcontacts.Youshouldbeabletocontinuewearingcontactlensesifyouusemedicatedeyedrops.Butyoumayneedtousesomedrugswhenyoudon’thavelensesin.Also,someoldermedicationscanchangeyourvisionprescription.Andifyouneedsurgery,itmayaffectyourabilitytowearcontacts.Don'tsmoke.It'simportanttokeepyourbodyhealthy,andnicotinetakesatoll.Smokingalsoraisesbloodpressureandeyeinflammation.Thatcanmakeyourriskofdiabetesandcataractsgoup.Bothareriskfactorsforglaucoma.Ifyousmoke,askyourdoctorforadviceonhowtoquit.Watchyourcaffeine.Watchhowmuchsoda,coffee,andteayoudrink.Toomuchcaffeinecanraiseyoureyepressure.Onestudyfoundthatjustacupofcoffeecouldmakethepressureinyoureyegoupasignificantamountforupto90minutes.Elevateyourhead.Useawedgepillowwhenyousleep.It'llkeepyourheadraisedjustalittle.Thatshouldhelploweryoureyepressure.Drinkfluidsslowly.Don'tcutbackonhowmuchyoudrink,butspreadoutyourbeveragesthroughtheday.Ifyoudrinkalotatonce,itcanstrainyoureyes.Don'thavemorethanaquartatonetime.Instead,sipsmallamounts.Protectyoureyes.Putonprotectiveglasseswhenyouworkintheyardorplaycontactsports.Weargoggleswhenyouswim.Whenchoosingmakeup,usenon-allergenicbrands,andreplaceitemsoften.Besuretowearsunglassesoutside,especiallyinsummeroraroundhigh-glaresurfaceslikesand,snow,andwater.Whenyouhaveglaucoma,youreyescanbeverysensitivetoglare.Don'trub.Glaucomaandthemedicineyoutakemightmakeyoureyesfeelitchy.Butfighttheurge.Youcanscratchthemandmakethingsworse.Askyourdoctorifyoucanusedropstotreatdryness.Drivesafely.Mostpeoplewithglaucomacanstilldriveaslongastheypasstheirstate’svisiontest.Simplyput,yourabilitytodrivewilldependonhowmuchvisionhasbeenlost.Somepeoplewithadvancedglaucomacangettheirlicenserenewedwithrestrictions.Askyourdoctoraboutwhetherdrivingwillbeaconcernforyou.Becarefulwithyoga.Youmayneedtoreconsidersomeyogapositions.Somehead-downmovesthatputyourheartaboveyoureyecanraiseyoureyepressure.Researchhasn’tshownthatitmakesglaucomaworse,butit’snotagoodideatodoyogapositionsthatincreaseeyepressure.Youmaywanttoavoidposessuchas:Downward-facingdogStandingforwardbendPlowLegsupthewallHowcanIhelpaparentwithglaucoma?Aglaucomadiagnosiscanbescary.Manyolderpeoplearedealingwithseveralproblemsthatcomewithage.Theyoftenworrythattheywillbecomeaburdentothefamilyiftheylosetheirvision.Sofirst,reassureyourparentthatmanypeoplekeeptheirvisionwithpropermedicationandcare.Next,helpyourlovedoneestablisharoutinesotheygettheireyedropscorrectlyonschedule.Theymayhavetoputtheminseveraltimesaday.Thiscanbeespeciallydifficultforpeoplewitharthritis,andit’snotaneasytaskforanyonetoremember.Youcouldoffertohelp,maybebystoppingbythehouseorbycallingwithareminder.Otherwise,talkwithyourparent'sdoctortomakesureaplanisinplace.Followingatreatmentplanisextremelyimportantinglaucomatopreventpermanentvisionloss.Ifyourparentneedssurgery,dowhatyoucantohelpthemprepare,andarrangetransportationtofollow-upvisitstothedoctor.Manyservicesandproductscanhelpsomeonewithimpairedvisioncontinuetowritechecks,organizetheirkitchen,telltime,andevenplaycards.ContacttheGlaucomaFoundationtolearnmore.Remember,thebesthelpyoucanofferisyouremotionalsupport.GlaucomaPreventionYoucan’tpreventglaucoma.Butifyoufinditearly,youcanloweryourriskofeyedamage.Thesestepsmayhelpprotectyourvision:Haveregulareyeexams.Thesooneryourdoctorspotsthesignsofglaucoma,thesooneryoucanstarttreatment.Alladultsneedtobecheckedforglaucomaevery3to5years.Ifyou’reoverage40andhaveafamilyhistoryofthedisease,getacompleteeyeexamfromaneyedoctorevery1to2years.Ifyouhavehealthproblemslikediabetesorareatriskofothereyediseases,youmayneedtogomoreoften.Learnyourfamilyhistory.Askyourrelativeswhetheranyofthemhavebeendiagnosedwithglaucoma.Followyourdoctor’sinstructions.Iftheyfindthatyouhavehigheyepressure,theymightgiveyoudropstopreventglaucoma.Exercise.Domoderateactivitylikewalkingorjoggingatleastthreetimesaweek.Protectyoureyes.Useprotectiveeyewearwhenplayingsportsorworkingonhomeimprovementprojects.NextInGlaucomaSymptoms13ReasonstoCareAboutYourEyeHealthWhatCausesEyeFloaters?WhatIsCornealCross-Linking?WhatIsanIntraocularLensImplant?AreAllergiesAffectingYourEyes?ShouldYouSqueezeaSty?AVisualGuidetoGlaucomaEssentialScreeningTestsEveryManNeedsTool:CommonVisionProblemsGlaucomaUnderstandingGlaucomaPreventionUnderstandingGlaucomaTreatmentUnderstandingGlaucomaSymptomsGlaucomaTopicsAllAboutPinkeyeLearnaboutcauses,symptoms,andtreatments.WhyYourEyesTwitchSimpleannoyanceorthesignofaproblem?EyeAllergiesSymptoms,triggers,andtreatments.IsYourVisionGettingWorse?Warningsigns,myths,andfacts.ArticleWhatIsaStye?ArticleDryEyes?MeibomianGlandDysfunctionIsaLikelyCulpritArticleSpotsandShadows:WhatAreBenignEyeFloaters?VideoImportanceofRoutineEyeExamsToolHowEyeProblemsAffectYourSightArticleIsVisionCorrectionSurgeryforYou?ArticleFindtheRightContactLensesArticleOpticDiscSwelling:WhatIsPapilledema?AreEyeFrecklesDangerous?13TipsforTiredEyesCornealDystrophiesTop10FoodsforEyeHealthHowGlaucomaAffectsVisionWhyIsThereGunkInMyEye?HealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads