Glaucoma - Symptoms
There are usually no noticeable symptoms of open-angle glaucoma. The loss of vision occurs very slowly, often over a period of years. If only one eye is affected, the other eye takes over the task of seeing for both eyes. The person with glaucoma does not realize that vision is being affected. Eventually, however, loss of vision becomes severe. The patient becomes aware that a problem exists. By this time, the glaucoma is more difficult to treat.
- Aqueous humor:
- A watery fluid that fills the inside of the eyeball, providing nourishment to the eye and maintaining internal pressure in the eyeball.
- Blind spot:
- An area on the retina that is unable to respond to light rays.
- Cornea:
- The tough, transparent tissue that covers the front of the eyeball.
- Intraocular pressure (IOP):
- The amount of pressure caused by aqueous humor inside the eyeball.
- Laser:
- A device for producing very intense beams of light of a single color.
- Optic nerve:
- A nerve at the back of the eyeball that carries messages from the retina to the brain.
- Retina:
- A thin membrane at the back of the eyeball that receives light rays that pass through the eyeball and transmits them to the optic nerve.
- Tonometer:
- A device used to measure intraocular pressure in the eyeball.
The symptoms of closed-angle glaucoma are more obvious. A person may experience blurred vision, severe pain, sensitivity to light, and nausea. The cornea, the transparent tissue at the front of the eye, becomes cloudy. Closed-angle glaucoma is a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment.
Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: