Glaucoma - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
Medically Reviewed By: Henry Nwanguma WHAT IS GLAUCOMA? G laucoma is a disease that damages your eye's optic nerve. It usually occurs when fluid builds up in the front part of your eye. That extra fluid increases the pressure in your eye, damaging the optic nerve. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness for people over 60 years old. But blindness from glaucoma can often be prevented with early treatment. TYPES OF GLAUCOMA There are two major types of glaucoma, they include; Primary open-angle glaucoma This type of glaucoma is common. It happens gradually, when the eye does not drain fluid as well as it should (like a clogged drain). As a result, eye pressure builds and starts to damage the optic nerve. This type of glaucoma is painless and cause no vision changes at first. Some people can have optic nerves that are sensitive to normal eye pressure. This means their risk of getting glaucoma is higher than normal. Regular eye exams are important to find ear...