Glaucoma has no symptoms in its early stages. In fact, half the people with glaucoma do not know they have it! Having regular eye exams can help your ophthalmologist find this disease before you lose vision. Your ophthalmologist can tell you how often you should be examined.
There are two major types of glaucoma.
Open-angle glaucoma
This is the most common type of glaucoma. It happens gradually, where the eye does not drain fluid as well as it should (like a clogged drain). As a result, eye pressure builds and starts to damage the optic nerve. This type of glaucoma is painless and causes no vision changes at first.
Some people can have optic nerves that are sensitive to normal eye pressure. This means their risk of getting glaucoma is higher than normal. Regular eye exams are important to find early signs of damage to their optic nerve.
Angle-closure glaucoma (also called “closed-angle glaucoma” or “narrow-angle glaucoma”)
This type happens when someone’s iris is very close to the drainage angle in their eye. The iris can end up blocking the drainage angle. You can think of it like a piece of paper sliding over a sink drain. When the drainage angle gets completely blocked, eye pressure rises very quickly. This is called an acute attack. It is a true eye emergency, and you should call your ophthalmologist right away or you might go blind.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/glaucoma/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20372846
Treatment
The damage caused by glaucoma can’t be reversed. But treatment and regular checkups can help slow or prevent vision loss, especially if you catch the disease in its early stages.
Glaucoma is treated by lowering intraocular pressure. Treatment options include prescription eye drops, oral medicines, laser treatment, surgery or a combination of approaches.
https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/glaucoma
Am I at risk for glaucoma?
Anyone can get glaucoma, but some people are at higher risk. You’re at higher risk if you:
- Are over age 60, especially if you’re Hispanic/Latino
- Are African American and over age 40
- Have a family history of glaucoma
Talk with your doctor about your risk for glaucoma, and ask how often you need to get checked. If you’re at higher risk, you need to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam every 1 to 2 years.
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Blog: https://hally.com/2022/07/protect-your-eyes-from-the-summer-sun/