Symptoms and Signs of How to Treat Glaucoma

Doctor's Notes on How to Treat Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a type of eye disease that affects the optic nerve and causes vision loss. Most types of glaucoma are due to elevated pressure inside the eye, called intraocular pressure (IOP). There are two main types of glaucoma:

• angle-closure glaucoma, in which the normal drainage canals within the eye are physically blocked and
• open-angle glaucoma, in which the drainage system remains open. Both types of glaucoma may cause vision damage without symptoms.

Most of the time, glaucoma does not result in noticeable symptoms until significant vision loss has occurred. As optic nerve fibers are damaged by glaucoma,

• small blind spots may begin to develop,
• usually in the peripheral or side vision.
• If there are sudden increases in intraocular pressure (IOP), symptoms of glaucoma may include
  • blurred vision,
  • halos around lights,
  • severe eye pain,
  • headache,
  • abdominal pain,
  • nausea, and
  • vomiting.