Glaucoma, characterized by increased intraocular pressure in the eye, can lead to vision loss and blindness. It is typically seen in people who are over the age of 60. If you notice any changes to your vision or sudden sharp pain in one eye, you must immediately consult a doctor.
Glaucoma usually occurs when fluid builds up inside the eyeball, leading to damage within its tissues. When this happens, further damage ensues, including optic nerve damage and blindness. If you’re facing glaucoma in Maitland, consult the best optometrist near you so that they can guide you on the proper treatment.
What Are the Symptoms of Glaucoma?
- Blurry vision, especially in the early stages of the disease, may come to you as cloudy, misty, or blurry vision. You can also see floaters or specks floating in your vision.
- Sudden pain in one eye while reading or watching TV may be a symptom of glaucoma, while sudden pain when looking at bright light while indoors may signify decreased mobility and damage to the optic nerve.
- The first sign of glaucoma is an increase in eye pressure. It is at increased pressure where you will first begin to notice changes in your vision.
- The onset of glaucoma may take years before you notice any symptoms. The optic nerve starts to deteriorate slowly without you noticing it. This can lead to glaucoma (primary glaucoma) or the less common secondary glaucoma, which is caused by complications like infection, inflammation, or the use of certain medications that affect the fluid pressure inside the eye.
What Are the Causes of Glaucoma?
Many factors could cause glaucoma. Some of them include:
- Lack of natural fluid production.
- Excessive eye pressure caused by increased IOP.
- Injury to the optic nerve.
- Smoking, excessive alcohol use, or head trauma that damages the blood vessels in the eye’s white matter.
- Nutritional deficiency is related to a lack of calcium, vitamin D, and omega-three fatty acids.
- Lifestyle factors such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.
- Certain genetic disorders such as myopia are common in those with “Marfan syndrome”, Atropine is used as a treatment for this disorder.” In many cases, glaucoma is treated with medication or surgery.
The cause is still unknown. However, it is believed that there might be many reasons people develop it, such as high blood pressure in the eyeball or problems with nutrients in the eye.
