Glaucoma is a disease that damages the optic nerve and is most commonly caused by elevated pressure inside the eye. It is one of the leading causes of permanent vision loss worldwide but can be prevented with early detection and treatment. Your eye doctor will evaluate your risk for glaucoma through a series of tests that involve measuring the pressure inside the eye and also evaluating the health of the optic nerve. Glaucoma is commonly referred to as the “sneak thief of sight” because it rarely has any visual symptoms until a very advanced stage and once the damage has occurred it is unable to be reversed, thus highlighting the importance of regular eye exams.
Risk Factors
- Elevated eye pressure
- Known family history
- Age
- Traumatic eye injuries
- High myopia
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Sleep apnea
- Long-term corticosteroid use
Treatment options
If it is determined that you have glaucoma, treatment is aimed at lowering the pressure inside the eye. This is typically accomplished through the daily use of prescription eye drops and in some cases laser or surgical intervention is also a possibility. There are several classes of eye drops available to treat glaucoma with some geared to decrease fluid production inside the eye and others aimed at increasing the outflow of fluid from the eye. Your eye doctor will conduct periodic visual field tests as well as scans of your optic nerve to track for signs of progression and determine whether your treatment plan is effective. In moderate to severe cases or for those not able to properly instill eye drops each day, a laser procedure or tube shunt may be required to effectively manage your condition.
