What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is damage to the optic nerve (located in the back of the eye) that usually happens with increased eye pressure (intraocular pressure) in the eye. If left untreated it can cause vision loss. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world after cataracts.
What are risk factors for Glaucoma?
Some of the increased risk factors include increased age, family history of glaucoma, eye injury, prolonged use of medications such as steroids, etc
What are the Symptoms?
There are usually no symptoms with most types of glaucoma except in angle closure glaucoma that can cause sudden symptoms such as severe headaches, nausea, eye pain and halos around the eye.
What is the Treatment?
There is no treatment to reverse the effects of glaucoma but there is treatment to help slow down the effects of glaucoma. These include
- Eye drops (such as Azopt, Trusopt, Alphagan, Timoptic, Lumigan, Betagen, Xalatan, Travatan, etc)
- Eye Surgery (laser iridotomy that creates a hole in the iris to allow fluid drain in the eye or trabeculectomy to help drain fluid from the eye)
If you are concerned about glaucoma or have any questions, call or text our Stoney Creek eyecare office at (289) 309 -1090 or email Perception Eyecare at [email protected] to schedule an eye exam to see our wonderful Hamilton optometrists today!
