Glaucoma: A Leading Cause Of Permanent Vision Loss

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of permanent vision loss, especially for patients 40 years old or older. It occurs when excess fluid creates higher-than-normal pressure inside the eye. This excessive pressure may cause permanent damage to the optic nerve, leading to vision loss.

While the effects of glaucoma cannot be reversed, there are things you can do to help prevent its onset or catch it early enough to stop it in its tracks.

Routine Eye Exams Are Essential For Catching & Treating Glaucoma

Routine eye exams are essential for early glaucoma diagnosis and to minimize further damage to the optic nerve. Also, annual exams allow your optometrist to learn more about your personal and family medical and optical history. If they feel you are in a higher-than-normal risk bracket (more on that below), they may recommend more frequent testing to catch any alarming rise in interior eye pressure.

How Does Glaucoma Affect Vision?

There are different types of glaucoma, which we’ll discuss below. However, they all have one thing in common: a buildup of fluid that fills the interior space of the eyeball, damaging the optic nerve. 

This fluid, the aqueous humor, should move in and out of the eye at the same rate to maintain consistent, healthy pressure. Sometimes, the channel that drains the fluid out of the eye becomes blocked, creating increased pressure inside the eye.

In most cases, this increased pressure is not detectable by the patient until the condition is severe - and by then, you would also experience significant decreases in visual acuity. That pressure builds up steadily and begins to consistently choke the life from the millions of tiny nerve fibers comprising the optic nerve. This slow and steady nerve death can eventually lead to blindness.

Different Types Of Glaucoma

There are several different types of glaucoma.

Open-angle glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma. About 90% of glaucoma patients in the U.S. have this form of eye disease. Because there are no symptoms until optic nerve damage is past the point of no return, patients can go months or years with glaucoma without knowing it if they aren’t diligent about annual eye exams.

Closed-angle glaucoma

This is a very rare but acute form of glaucoma, also called narrow-angle or angle-closure glaucoma. Unlike its open-angle alternative, it comes on swiftly. In this case, the pressure on the optic nerve is related to an anatomical issue: the angle between the iris and cornea is too small. This small angle prevents the aqueous humor drainage canals from doing their job. 

Because the onset of this rare form is acute, patients do experience severe headaches or eye pain and can experience sudden vision loss.

Normal tension glaucoma

Normal-tension glaucoma, also called normal-pressure or low-tension glaucoma, can happen. In this case, the pressure inside the eye is considered within the normal range, yet the optic nerve still has damage and nerve fiber loss. This type of glaucoma is most common in Asian and Asian-American populations.

Congenital glaucoma

Another rare form of glaucoma, congenital glaucoma, results from anatomical eye issues that affect aqueous humor drainage when a baby is born. This type of defect occurs during the baby’s development in the womb.

Also known as pediatric glaucoma or infantile glaucoma, your pediatrician is likely to notice symptoms during the first year or so, although milder cases may not be diagnosed until your child is older or during their first vision exam, which should take place between three and five years old (AOA). 

Glaucoma Risk & Prevention

There are things that put you at higher risk for glaucoma. Some of the most common risk factors include:

• Being 40 years old or older.
• Having glaucoma in the other eye.
• A family history of glaucoma (especially if it was your parents or a sibling).
• High blood pressure.
• Long-term use of corticosteroids.
• A previous eye injury or surgical procedure.

Also, if you are nearsighted, you have a higher chance of developing open-angle glaucoma, whereas farsighted people are more likely to develop the closed-angle version.

Glaucoma Prevention

You can take action to prevent the onset of glaucoma or slow its progression.

Make healthy lifestyle choices

Healthy lifestyle choices, including eating well, exercising regularly, and getting a good night’s sleep, all help to prevent diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Each of these diseases elevates the risk of eye diseases, but there is a direct link between high or irregular blood pressure patterns and glaucoma.

The American Heart Association cites that both high BP and low BP are associated with an increased risk of glaucoma. There is mounting evidence that low nighttime BP or excessive dipping could adversely affect glaucoma progression. 

Get annual eye exams

Routine, comprehensive eye exams always test for elements that could lead to glaucoma. Optometrists have different options for this process, all of which give us a reading of the pressure levels inside the eye. If the readings are higher than usual, we’ll test again to verify and then go from there.

Alert your optometrist if you are experiencing atypical eye symptoms

The most common type of glaucoma indeed has little to no symptoms until vision loss has occurred. However, some rare forms take place faster, leading to unusual eye pain, headaches, or sudden vision loss. Any of these symptoms should trigger a call to your optometrist or healthcare professional.

Treating Glaucoma To Prevent Permanent Vision Loss

Several ways to treat glaucoma are available, and the risks and benefits of each are determined when you discuss the options with your optometrist.

Eye drops

The most common treatment for glaucoma is eye drops. The eye absorbs these medicated eye drops. Depending on the type that seems best for your situation, they may decrease the fluid in the eye or work to increase the rate of drainage of the aqueous humor.

These drops are typically used daily (or more than once a day) and will probably be used for the rest of your life.

Temporary drainage canals

A newer treatment on the market is dissolvable implants, which work as an extra drainage canal and reduce interior optical pressure. These implants work for a few months or so, after which they dissolve. This requires replacement every few months.

Laser treatments

Your optometrist may feel that the status of your glaucoma and your health history make you an ideal candidate for laser glaucoma treatment. If this is the case, they’ll use a laser beam to increase the drainage channel, allowing the aqueous humor to drain faster. 

This may eliminate the need for drops in some cases. However, most patients still need eye drops, but at a lower dose and potentially reduced frequency.

Surgical treatment to prevent permanent vision loss

Surgical treatment is more invasive but can be more effective and longer-lasting than other options. In this treatment, ophthalmologists surgically alter the drainage canal to increase drainage and reduce pressure. Whenever they can, they opt for minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) techniques to reduce the risk of complications or post-surgical issues.

Regardless of the treatment used, glaucoma cannot be reversed. However, early detection can stop its progression, preserving your vision at its current point.

Schedule Your Next Eye Exam At Eye To Eye Family Vision Care

Annual eye exams are essential for early glaucoma detection. If you’re overdue for an eye exam or know you have one or more glaucoma risk factors, it’s time to schedule an eye exam at Eye To Eye Family Vision Care. We’re dedicated to providing the highest-quality vision care to families in Sapulpa, OK, and the surrounding communities.