Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the categorical name for a group of eye diseases that can affect vision with few or no symptoms. The vision loss suffered from glaucoma is due to damage to the ocular nerve, which is a bundle of nerve fibers that carry visual messages to the brain.

Two different forms of glaucoma can occur: open-angle glaucoma or angle-closure glaucoma.

Open-angle glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma, affecting about three million Americans. It occurs when the eye's drainage canals become clogged over time. The inner eye pressure (also called intraocular pressure or IOP) rises because the correct amount of fluid is not able to drain out of the eye. With open-angle glaucoma, the entrances to the drainage canals are clear and should be working correctly. The clogging problem occurs inside the drainage canals, like clogging that can occur inside a pipe below a drain in a sink.

Angle-closure glaucoma

Angle-closure glaucoma is also known as acute glaucoma or narrow angle glaucoma. It is much more uncommon and is very different from open angle glaucoma, in that the eye pressure usually goes up very fast. This takes place when the drainage canals get blocked or covered, like a clogged sink when something is covering the drain.

When glaucoma causes pressures within the eye to rise to detrimental levels, the pressure can ultimately damage the optic nerve at the back of the eye, thereby causing vision loss. The earlier the disease is diagnosed and treated, the greater the likelihood of avoiding permanent vision loss.

Open-angle glaucoma is commonly treated with medication and with great success. Angle-closure glaucoma typically requires surgery to correct the problem.

Low Vision Care can be particularly valuable for sufferers of glaucoma. Although magnification is particuarly beneficial during the early stages of glaucoma, the use of contrast enhancing filters and other solutions often prove very helpful.