About Glaucoma
In most cases of Glaucoma, abnormally high intraocular pressure is the cause of the damage. It is important to maintain annual visits with your eye doctor because most people with glaucoma have no early symptoms or pain from intraocular pressure. The pressure could be caused by poor circulation in eye fluid in the front part of the eye. The eye fluid (called aqueous humor) flows through a mesh-like channel, but when the channel gets blocked, fluid builds up and causes glaucoma. The cause of the blockage is unknown, but doctors have identified that glaucoma is hereditary.
The two main types of glaucoma are open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma. The most common type is open-angle glaucoma. In this case the eye structure appears normal, but aqueous humor does not flow correctly through the drain of the eye, the trabecular meshwork. Angle-closure glaucoma is less common, but causes a sudden buildup of pressure in the eye. In this case the drainage channel between the iris and the cornea is too narrow.
Symptoms
- Seeling halos around lights,
- Vision loss
- Redness in the eye
- Nausea or Vomiting
- Pain in the Eye
- Tunnel Vision
- Eye that looks hazy
High Risk Factors
- Over the age of 60
- African Descent
- Family History of Glaucoma
- Medical Conditions such as hear disease, hypothyroidism
- Long-term use of corticosteroids
To learn more about glaucoma and glaucoma treatments, contact our Glaucoma Centers in Stockton, Tracy or Lodi.
