Glaucoma is a leading cause of vision loss, affecting the peripheral (side) vision. Permanent vision loss is a result of optic nerve damage and can affect activities like driving and spatial awareness. Glaucoma is often referred to as the silent thief of sight because often there are no symptoms early in the disease process.
Types of Glaucoma
- Most common form
- Typically associated with increased eye pressure that damages the optic nerve
- No early warning signs means no symptoms
- Often detected on a routine eye exam
- No cure, but progression can often be slowed down
- Less common, but very serious with potential for rapid vision loss
- Caused by sudden increase in eye pressure due to blockage in the eye’s drainage system
- Symptoms often include halos around lights, nausea with or without vomiting, headache and eye pain or redness
- This is a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment
- Less common
- Cause is unknown
- Associated with normal eye pressure
- Increased risk in certain ethnic populations and women
- Can be caused by Diabetes, steroid use, inflammation, eye injuries etc
- Often detected on eye health exams or routine eye exams
- Not always symptomatic
Common Symptoms of Glaucoma
Many eye conditions show no symptoms and can go unnoticed without a professional evaluation. Your child will not always show signs that signal the need for an eye exam. They may not know they are struggling with visual skills, understanding, or clarity to be able to tell you.
- Often there are no symptoms in the early stages and glaucoma is diagnosed based on testing during your routine eye exam
- Loss of peripheral (side) vision
- Halos around light
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headache around the eye
- Eye pain or redness
Important: Glaucoma can cause severe vision loss as it leads to tunnel vision.
