Glaucoma: What ’s new and what do I need to know?

Glaucoma is the leading cause of permanent blindness worldwide, and the second leading cause of permanent blindness in the United States. An estimated three million people in the United States have glaucoma, a number that is expected to increase to 6.3 million in the next 30 years. Although glaucoma is more common in adults older than 60, it can develop at any age. While there is currently no cure for glaucoma, vision loss can be slowed or stopped if the disease is diagnosed and treated early. What is glaucoma? Glaucoma is a group of disorders that damage the optic nerve of the eye, which carries visual signals from the retina to the brain, allowing us to see. In glaucoma, the optic nerve is slowly damaged, leading to gradual loss of vision and permanent blindness. Because the damage occurs slowly, it is often without symptoms and goes unnoticed until it is too late. As it progresses, glaucoma can lead to poor quality of life, increased risk of falls, decreased mobility, and difficulty with driving. Glaucoma is often associated with increased pressure inside the eye. Healthy eyes produce fluid known as the aqueous, which flows through and exits the eye. In glaucoma, this process does not work properly, resulting in increased eye pressure and damage to the optic nerve. The two main types of glaucoma — open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma — are determined by the structure of the drainage pathway in the front of the eye (known as the angle), through which aqueous f...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Eye Health Healthy Aging Source Type: blogs