Glaucoma: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a name for a group of eye conditions that cause gradual damage to the optic nerve, which is usually due to raised pressure inside the eye. It usually affects both eyes, but one eye can sometimes be a bit worse. Glaucoma can ultimately lead to loss of vision, so it’s really important that the condition is managed.

Learn more about glaucoma with Raj Hanspal, consultant ophthalmologist, glaucoma specialist and partner at Newmedica Bury St Edmunds and our eye clinic in Ipswich.

What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

The problem with glaucoma is that symptoms don't tend to appear until it’s almost too late to treat it. The loss of side (peripheral) vision happens first, and this can be picked up, along with raised pressure, by an optometrist during your eye test.

One uncommon type of glaucoma, known as acute angle closure, can start with a sudden and painful build-up of pressure. This is an eye emergency with a lot of pain and blurred vision, but it is preventable and can be treated. If you ever experience symptoms like these, seek help straight away from your optometrist, registered eye clinic or casualty department.

How glaucoma can impact your vision

What causes glaucoma?

Your eyes are filled with a fluid called aqueous humour, which your eye is constantly producing. The fluid normally drains away from the inside of the eye and the pressure stays constant. If the fluid can’t properly drain away, it can cause pressure to build up within the eye. This raised eye pressure is called ocular hypertension.

Glaucoma can develop when the built-up pressure starts to damage the optic nerve, which is the link between your eye and brain, resulting in a change in vision.

In the acute type of glaucoma, there is a blockage in the eye’s draining system which causes a very sudden rise in pressure. This often happens in people who are quite long-sighted or have smaller sized eyes.

How is it diagnosed?

During regular eye tests with your optometrist, they’ll carry out a few tests to check for signs of glaucoma. That involves checking your eye pressure with a puff of air test, assessing your field of vision and having a look at the health of your optic nerve.

If they think you might have glaucoma or ocular hypertension, they’ll refer you on to specialists like us to confirm a diagnosis and get you started on a treatment plan to help protect your vision.