Our eyes produce a clear fluid known as aqueous humor, which provides nourishment to the eye and helps remove waste. This fluid flows through drainage channels to maintain healthy pressure levels inside the eye.

Under normal conditions, there is a balance between the production and drainage of aqueous humor, which keeps eye pressure stable. However, in glaucoma, the drainage channels become blocked, upsetting this balance and causing the fluid pressure within the eye to rise. This increased pressure can damage the optic nerve, leading to vision loss if it goes untreated.

The increased pressure places strain on the optic nerve, gradually causing damage and leading to vision problems. Without proper management, this damage can progress, potentially resulting in significant vision loss or even blindness.

Anyone whose:

• Age is over 40 years
• Has a family history of glaucoma
• Has myopia or hypermetropia
• Has diabetes, hypertension, hyperthyroidism
• Has increased eye pressure or eye injury
• Has a history of long-term steroid intake
• Has had eye surgeries
• Has a problem from birth

In many cases, glaucoma presents no noticeable symptoms for patients. The most common form, Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma, typically shows no signs until it reaches an advanced stage, earning it the name “silent thief of sight.” The primary indication of glaucoma is usually a gradual loss of peripheral (side) vision, which often goes unnoticed until considerable damage has already been done.

Angle-closure glaucoma symptoms usually appear suddenly and are more noticeable, with damage progressing rapidly. If you experience any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately:

• Seeing halos around lights
• Vision loss
• Redness in your eye
• Eye that looks hazy (particularly in infants)
• Eye pain

Eye specialists can diagnose glaucoma by conducting several in-clinic tests. They measure eye pressure and examine the structure of the optic nerve using specialized equipment. All of these tests are painless.

Glaucoma can also be detected by capturing detailed images of the internal structures of your eyes through various diagnostic devices used by your doctor.

The main goal of glaucoma treatment is to halt the progression of the disease and prevent additional damage to the optic nerve, thereby preserving vision.

This goal is achieved by reducing eye pressure using medications, laser treatments, or surgeries.