Also known as silent thief of sight, eye pressure disease.
This page is general health information, not a diagnosis. Always consult a licensed clinician about your own health.
Overview
Glaucoma is damage to the eye's nerve, usually from raised pressure inside the eye, and it steals sight gradually from the edges inward — painlessly and silently. It is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and runs strongly in families. Sight lost cannot be recovered, but early treatment preserves what remains.
Symptoms
Usually no symptoms until late
Gradual loss of side (peripheral) vision
Tunnel vision in advanced disease
Sudden painful red eye with halos around lights (acute form — emergency)
Frequent change of glasses without satisfaction
Causes & risk factors
Raised pressure inside the eye
Strong family history — common in African populations
Age over 40
Diabetes and long-term steroid use
Severe short-sightedness
Treatment & self-care
Treatment lowers eye pressure with daily prescribed eye drops, laser treatment or surgery — used consistently and for life, because stopping lets damage resume. Adults, especially anyone over 40 or with a family history, should have an eye-pressure and optic-nerve check every one to two years. Early detection is the entire game.
See a doctor urgently if
Family history of glaucoma and never screened
Gradual loss of side vision or bumping into objects
Sudden severe eye pain with halos and vomiting — emergency
You use glaucoma drops but frequently miss doses
Frequently asked questions
What are the first signs of Glaucoma?
Early signs often include usually no symptoms until late, gradual loss of side (peripheral) vision, tunnel vision in advanced disease. Symptoms vary from person to person, so a proper assessment by a doctor is the only way to be sure.
Can Glaucoma be treated?
Treatment lowers eye pressure with daily prescribed eye drops, laser treatment or surgery — used consistently and for life, because stopping lets damage resume. Adults, especially anyone over 40 or with a family history, should have an eye-pressure and optic-nerve check every one to two years. Early detection is the entire game.
When should I see a doctor about Glaucoma?
See a doctor promptly if you notice: family history of glaucoma and never screened; gradual loss of side vision or bumping into objects; sudden severe eye pain with halos and vomiting — emergency; you use glaucoma drops but frequently miss doses.