What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is often referred to as "the sneak-thief of sight". Many people who have it are not aware they have it until some sight loss has occurred.

It is a condition where the pressure of fluid in the eye is usually high. However, there are some people with Glaucoma who may hav normal eye pressure.

Glaucoma is most often caused by the build-up of the fluid which normally flows through the eyes. This pressure build-up usually occurs because the fluid drains out of the eye more slowly than it is being pumped in.

With new fluid continuing to enter the eye, it joins the fluid already there, which is not draining away as it should. This causes the pressure to rise and may damage the back of the eye, which can contribute to some loss of vision.

Because the damage can proceed slowly the person is often not aware of the loss of sight due to it being so gradual. There are even occasions when normal eye pressure is associated with damage to the back of the eye and the optic nerve. In these cases the circulation to the optic nerve may be impaired.

Regular eye checks, when the intraocular pressure is taken, are important. That's because there are usually no symptoms of Glaucoma. There is only one certain way to know if you have Glaucoma. Regularly see an eye specialist or optometrist to have your eye pressure, optic nerve and visual field checked.

It can lead to serious problems if you do not have Glaucoma treated promptly. Although you have no symptoms, untreated Glaucoma can eventually lead to total blindness. It is not widely known that untreated Glaucoma is a leading cause of preventable blindness.
It has been estimated that over seventy million people worldwide have the condition.

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