Glaucoma: The “Silent” Eye Disease That Can Steal Vision Without Warning

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. There are around 80 million people globally who have glaucoma, and 3 million in the United States alone. However, only about half of the people who have glaucoma know it, because of how slowly and insidiously this disease advances.

Our eye health specialists at Ventura Eye Institute in Camarillo, California, can help you preserve your sight by screening you for glaucoma and providing treatments to slow its progress. Here’s what they want you to know.

Glaucoma basics

Aqueous humor is supposed to flow from behind your iris through your pupil and into the anterior chamber, where the outer edge of your iris meets the inner edge of your sclera. Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that can block drainage, causing and/or increasing intraocular pressure (IOP) inside the eye. 

There are four main types of glaucoma.

Primary open-angle glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma occurs when the drainage angle remains relatively wide. This is the most common type of glaucoma.  It causes gradual changes in your vision as eye pressure rises due to drainage backup. Pressure on the back of your eye (the optic nerve) can cause irreversible damage.

Primary narrow-angle glaucoma

Narrow-angle glaucoma happens when the drainage angle is partially or mostly closed. If the lens of your eye bulges outward, fluid can’t flow freely through the pupil opening. Backed-up fluid in the posterior chamber pushes your iris forward, narrowing the drainage angle and accelerating vision loss.

Secondary glaucoma 

Secondary glaucoma occurs as a result of another condition, traumatic event, surgery, or certain medications that increase intraocular eye pressure, leading to glaucoma. This can cause an even more rapid loss of vision. 

Congenital glaucoma

You can also have glaucoma because of difficulties or mutations during fetal development. Some people are born with poor vision due to congenital glaucoma.

Symptoms of glaucoma

For many people, having symptoms of glaucoma means vision loss has already started, and swift action is needed to stop the progression of the disease. You should see professional help immediately if you notice:

• Blurry or patchy vision
• Loss of peripheral vision
• Frequent intense headaches 
• Pain in or behind one or both eyes
• “Halos” around bright lights, especially at night

We can perform glaucoma screening in our office, and the process is painless.

Treatment for glaucoma

Several effective treatments for glaucoma can help reduce IOP and prevent further loss of sight.

• Medications (pills or eyedrops) to control fluid production and regulate IOP
• A laser procedure to drain excess fluid from the affected chamber(s) of the eye
• An iStent inject implant to improve proper fluid flow through your eye

We’ll assess what type of glaucoma you have and how advanced your condition is, and discuss your options with you.

Worried about glaucoma? Call 805-388-1211 or visit the contact page to schedule an appointment at Ventura Eye Institute.