Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in the United States. Glaucoma is an eye disease that can lead to permanent loss of vision. This ocular disease has been labeled as "A Thief in the Night" because in its most typical form, there are no symptoms. No pain, no swelling, no redness. Patients with glaucoma may not notice the loss of vision until it is too late.
Glaucoma is simply high pressure inside the eye. The eye is filled with a fluid called the aqueous humor. In a normal eye, this fluid is constantly produced and drained. In an eye with glaucoma, this fluid does not properly drain, resulting in a build-up of pressure. Left untreated, this increase in pressure destroys vision by destroying the optic nerve.
Visual loss begins with the peripheral vision. This is why most patients do not notice the loss until it is too late. By the time the loss is noticed by the patient, central vision has been affected. With advanced glaucoma, the patient may have lost so much peripheral vision that they see the world like they're looking through a drinking straw. He or she may read an eye chart at 20/20 but may have difficulty finding the chart. These patients do not meet current visual driving requirements. |
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Patients with glaucoma may not notice vision loss until it is too late. With early diagnosis and treatment, vision loss from glaucoma may be prevented.
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Pressure Check – During your yearly complete eye examination your intraocular pressure will be evaluated. This is one of the first areas of detection even though some patients can have glaucoma and not exhibit high intraocular pressure.
