What Are the Warning Signs of Glaucoma?

You might not know what glaucoma is, but you probably know someone who does. It’s a disease that can cause vision loss and blindness if it isn’t detected and treated early on. In fact, glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness in the United States. Read on as a Marysville, WA optometrist discusses glaucoma, its signs and symptoms, and who’s most at risk of developing this condition.

What Is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a disease of the eye that can lead to blindness if left untreated. Glaucoma is most often caused by an increase in pressure inside the eye, which damages the optic nerve and can result in painless vision loss. Ultimately, this condition causes the optic nerve to degenerate, which results in a gradual loss of vision.

There are two types of glaucoma: open-angle glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up inside your eye because fluid drains slowly or not at all from the eye into your bloodstream. Closed-angle glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up inside your eye because fluid drains too fast for your body’s blood vessels to handle it properly.

The only way to tell if you have glaucoma is to get an eye exam from an ophthalmologist, so it’s important to schedule regular visits with your eye doctor.

Signs and Symptoms of Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a major cause of blindness in the world, but it’s also one of the most treatable. If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to get your eyes checked by an optometrist:

• Blurred vision
• Pain when looking at bright lights or watching TV
• A shadow in your peripheral vision
• Flashes of light when moving your eyes quickly from side to side
• Feeling as if there is something in your eye
• A feeling of pressure in the eyes
• Seeing halos around lights
• Tunnel vision (Your peripheral vision is affected)

Who’s Most Susceptible to Developing Glaucoma?

• Age: the risk of developing glaucoma increases with age, and it’s more common in people over 60
• Race: African-Americans are at higher risk than Caucasians, but anyone can get glaucoma
• Family history: if your parents or siblings have had glaucoma, you may also be at increased risk
• Eye injury: If you’ve had an eye injury or surgery that affected your optic nerve, you could be at increased risk.
• High blood pressure: If you have high blood pressure, this can put extra pressure on the fluid inside your eyes and increase the risk of developing glaucoma.

If you have more questions or want to schedule a consultation, feel free to call our Marysville, WA optometry office today.