Glaucoma happens when high intraocular pressure (IOP) leads to compression and possible damage to your optic nerve, resulting in blindness if left unmanaged. In fact, it’s the second leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the world. At Alderwood Optical and Canyon Park Vision Clinic, we believe that promoting awareness of this disease is needed to halt its increasing prevalence. Let your trusted eye doctor discuss glaucoma in detail for your understanding.
Risk Factors
While glaucoma may affect anyone at any age, some individuals may be at higher risk of developing this condition. Those with a family history of this condition or have other underlying medical or eye diseases are more likely to acquire this disease. Individuals aged 40 and above, as well as those of Hispanic or African descent, are commonly affected with this condition too.
Root Cause
Normally, your eye fluids empty into the trabecular meshwork found in the angle between your cornea and iris. When this space develops structural infirmities or blockages, they may cause inefficient draining of your eye fluids. According to your expert eye doctor, this may lead to their accumulation, increasing your IOP and compressing your optic nerve. You may experience image interpretation problems and even vision loss without immediate treatment.
Major Types
Around 90% of the reported glaucoma cases are open-angle, also referred to as primary or chronic glaucoma. This happens when there’s ineffective eye fluid emptying, even if the angle is wide open, resulting in high IOP levels. It usually develops slowly over a long period of time, rarely showing any visual changes.
Angle-closure glaucoma, on the other hand, occurs when obstructions cause narrowing of the angle. This may slow down your fluid emptying rate, resulting in their buildup and increased IOP. You may have sore and red eyes when this happens. Nausea, halos around lights, and blurry vision are also common. This form is commonly associated with blindness as well, which is why it’s important to seek immediate medical attention from your reliable eye doctor.
Call us today at (425) 771-8472 for Alderwood Optical or (425) 485-0430 for Canyon Park Vision Clinic for more information about glaucoma. You may also complete our form to request an appointment. We serve Redmond, Kirkland, and nearby WA areas. Check out the second entry of this two-part series next week to learn about our glaucoma management services.