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Glaucoma

© Mary M. Alward

Glaucoma is a diverse group of eye diseases. It is the leading cause of blindness in Canada and the Untied States. It is more common in older people, but young people can suffer from it. Though glaucoma can lead to blindness, it can be successfully treated if detected in the early stages.

Glaucoma is a disease of the Optic nerve. It is usually accompanied by high fluid pressure within the eye. However, this is not always the case. Neither is high fluid pressure always a sign of glaucoma. Your eye specialist must examine information that he gathers to determine if you are at risk for, or have, glaucoma. Optic nerve damage causes characteristics that can be found when your specialist looks at the information gathered from a visual “field test.” The “field test” is painless and takes about twenty minutes to complete. Each eye is tested separately. The test detects defects in both the central and peripheral vision. (I suffer from glaucoma and take this test at least once a year.)

The Optic nerve is imperative to sight. It carries the image we see to our brain. The higher the internal fluid, the more chance of permanent damage to the Optic nerve. (This is similar to erosion. The internal fluid causes damage to the Optic nerve, much like erosion causes damage to the soil.)

The Optic nerve is comparable to a giant electrical cable. Glaucoma causes damage to the nerve fibers. This causes, or can cause, blind spots to the central or peripheral vision. These blind spots are often not noticed until extensive Optic nerve damage has occurred. If the Optic nerve is completely destroyed, blindness is always the result.

Clear liquid called, “aqueous humor” flows in and out of the eye. This is completely different than tears, which only touch the outside of the eye. If the drainage system for the “aqueous humor” is blocked, the fluid pressure within the eye increases. This causes damage to the Optic nerve.

There are three different kinds of glaucoma. They are primary, secondary and congenital.

Primary is the most common type of glaucoma. It is divided into “closed” and “open” angle glaucoma.

Closed glaucoma is also known as acute glaucoma. It strikes suddenly and is accompanied by blurred vision and severe eye pain. The eye pressure increases quickly. The drainage canals are already blocked by “closed angle glaucoma.” The cornea and iris are not as open as they should be. The iris then curls over the drainage canal when the pupil enlarges.