What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is an optic nerve disease, and is referred to as an optic neuropathy.  There are many types of glaucoma but in all types, there is damage to the optic nerve which ultimately leads to loss of the patient’s field of vision.  This loss of vision usually is clustered in zones located around the center of focus. It most often occurs in both eyes, but not necessarily at the same time or rate.  The result of decades of undiagnosed, untreated glaucoma results in tunnel vision.  The peripheral vision is lost leaving central vision.  This remaining central vision will ultimately be lost without timely intervention.

Areas or zones of the eye’s light receptors lose their ability to send signals to the visual cortex of the brain. Clusters of the nerve fibers in the retina that link with the receptors start to die off. In glaucoma, the optical system of the eye still focuses the image it receives, but the nerve damage prevents some communication channels to the brain.

Vision loss due to glaucoma is most often gradual.   Glaucoma increases in incidence with increasing age.  The earlier glaucoma is diagnosed, the greater the likelihood that progression can be slowed down.  Treatment for glaucoma is to lower the intra-ocular pressure in the eye.  The level of pressure that is considered normal is variable for each individual.  Eye pressure is the only factor we can modify and the treatment for glaucoma, once diagnosed, is to lower that pressure with topical and/or oral medications.  In some early cases, and in later stages of glaucoma, laser treatments or surgery is necessary to help to slow the progression.   There is no cure for glaucoma, but it is a manageable disease if caught early.  Annual eye examinations after age 40 are critical to detecting this disease early.