What Glaucoma Condition Is All About

Eye conditions can be tricky situations to deal with. Some issues may happen suddenly, with their effects being severe. Many people associate eye problems as ones that you are born with or hereditary. This may not necessarily be the case as you can quickly get diseases of your eyes at any point in your life. Conditions like glaucoma may occur suddenly, with adverse effects without proper treatment. If you are going through Glaucoma in San Antonio, read on to better understand the condition.

What is Glaucoma?

These are a group of conditions that harm your optic nerve, severely affecting your vision. Abnormally high pressure within your eye most often causes glaucoma. For people above sixty, glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness. Older adults are the ones who mostly contract glaucoma, although people of all ages can get the condition.

Many types of glaucoma do not exhibit any warning signs. They affect you slowly, and you may not realize their presence until it is too late.

Regular eye exams are necessary as glaucoma that leads to vision loss is irreversible. These eye exams involve eye pressure measurements to catch the disease early to implement the most suitable treatment plans. Early diagnosis may prevent or slow down the development of vision loss. However, glaucoma treatment occurs for the rest of your life.

Signs and Symptoms of Glaucoma

These vary depending on which type and what stage of glaucoma you have, i.e.,

Open-angle glaucoma

• Tunnel vision when advanced
• Patchy blindspot on your central or peripheral vision mostly in both eyes

Acute angle-closure glaucoma

• Eye pain
• Severe headache
• Vomiting and nausea
• Halos around lights
• Blurred vision
• Eye redness

Causes

Injury to your optic nerve results in glaucoma. Gradual deterioration is accompanied by the development of blind spots in your visual field. Though the reasons remain unclear, glaucoma development is related to high eye pressure.

The buildup of aqueous humor within your eye causes increased high pressure. This fluid that flows inside your eye is typically drained via the trabecular meshwork tissue found where the cornea and iris meet. When the drainage system is flawed or overproduced, the fluid does not flow out normally, resulting in elevated eye pressure.

Glaucoma tends to be genetic running in families. Medical professionals have identified genes associated with optic nerve damage and high eye pressure.

Several factors may increase the chances of contracting this condition. These include:

• Being over sixty years of age
• Having high internal eye pressure
• Being Asian, black, or Hispanic
•  Having certain medical issues like heart disease, diabetes, sickle cell anemia, and high blood pressure
• Family history of glaucoma
• Being severely farsighted or nearsighted
• Taking corticosteroid medications
• Having eye injuries or surgery

Glaucoma, when left unattended, will eventually lead to blindness. Even after getting treatment, there is a high probability that you may become blind in at least one eye within twenty years. If you suspect any signs of glaucoma, go to our website or call our offices in San Antonio, TX.