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Condition

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, often with no early warning signs. Regular eye exams can find it early, when treatment can help protect your sight.

Key points

Common signs
Usually none at first. It slowly takes away side vision, often without any pain.
Who’s at risk
Adults over 60, Black and Hispanic/Latino adults, people with a family history, and people with high eye pressure.
How it’s found
An eye pressure test, a side vision test and scans of the optic nerve, compared over time.
Treatment
Daily eye drops, laser treatment or surgery can lower eye pressure. Vision that is already lost can’t be restored.
A doctor going over results with a patient and her husband

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve. The optic nerve carries signals from your eye to your brain so that you can see. When it is damaged, you slowly lose vision. Damage from glaucoma can’t be undone, but treatment can often slow it down or stop it from getting worse.

Glaucoma often happens when fluid does not drain well from the eye and the pressure inside the eye goes up. But some people get glaucoma even when their eye pressure is normal.

There are two main types:

  • Open-angle glaucoma is the most common. It develops slowly, over many years, with no pain.
  • Angle-closure glaucoma happens when the drainage area inside the eye is narrow or blocked. It can build up slowly, or it can come on suddenly. A sudden attack is an emergency.
Two boys holding balls, with the edges of the scene dark and only the center clear
How advanced glaucoma can take away side vision while the center stays clear. Early loss is patchy and often goes unnoticed. Image: National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health.

Open-angle glaucoma usually has no symptoms at first. There is no pain, and your vision seems fine. Over time, it slowly takes away your side vision. Many people don’t notice until a lot of vision is already gone. That is why regular eye exams matter so much.

A sudden angle-closure attack is different. It can cause severe eye pain, a red eye, blurred vision, halos or rainbows around lights, headache, nausea and vomiting. This needs care right away. Go to the emergency room if you can’t reach your eye doctor, because vision can be lost within hours.

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Related care topics

Sources

  1. Glaucoma — National Eye Institute
  2. Understanding Glaucoma — American Academy of Ophthalmology
  3. Glaucoma — American Optometric Association

This page is for general education and is not a diagnosis. If you have a concern about your health, contact us.