Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the leading cause of permanent blindness in the United States, and it is estimated to affect nearly one in every 50 adults. Glaucoma is often called the “silent thief of sight” because in most cases vision loss appears gradually, unnoticed by the patient until it has become severe. Fortunately, with today’s technology and early detection, sight loss due to most cases of glaucoma can be controlled. Glaucoma can be detected in a routine dilated eye examination before the patient experiences any vision problems. An evaluation for glaucoma is painless and includes checking the pressure or “firmness” of the eye with a tonometer, and examining the optic nerve.

Glaucoma is a condition which damages the optic nerve at the back of the eye. The primary risk factor is elevated eye pressure, also called intraocular pressure (IOP). Most patients who have glaucoma, but not all, have elevated eye pressure. The fluid produced within the eye, called aqueous humor, leaves the eye via a drainage system in the front chamber of the eye. When production and removal of the fluid are out of balance, the pressure rises. Over years or decades, increased pressure within the eye results in damage to the optic nerve. This damage causes slowly progressive loss of vision, starting with peripheral vision loss and ultimately affecting central vision.

To schedule an appointment for an eye exam for glaucoma screening please call Milwaukee Eye Care Associates, S.C. at 414-271-2020.

Causes of glaucoma:

The exact cause of optic nerve damage from glaucoma is not fully understood. It may be a combination of mechanical compression, decreased blood flow to the optic nerve, anatomy, heredity, and factors that remain to be identified. Although high eye pressure is an important factor that leads to glaucoma, many people can also develop glaucoma with “normal” pressure.

Most common forms of glaucoma:

The many forms of glaucoma and have one thing in common: permanent damage to the optic nerve causing vision loss.

  • Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma and develops slowly over time after age 35. There are no symptoms. The drainage of aqueous fluid from the eye gradually becomes impaired leading to increased eye pressure. If this increased pressure results in optic nerve damage, it is known as chronic open-angle glaucoma.
  • Normal tension glaucoma is also known as low-tension glaucoma, and is characterized by progressive optic nerve damage and visual field loss with normal eye pressure. Normal tension glaucoma is possibly related to poor blood flow to the optic nerve, which leads to the death of the cells that carry impulses from the retina to the brain. This type of glaucoma is becoming increasingly more common.
  • Angle-closure glaucoma (less than 10% of all glaucoma patients) results when the drainage angle at the front of the eye narrows and becomes completely blocked. In this form of the disease, aqueous humor cannot drain out of the eye due to very narrow drainage angles that are usually blocked by the iris. Angle closure usually occurs in people who are farsighted or in whom the front chamber of the eye is shallow. This condition can occur slowly and progressively, or very quickly. When the drainage angle of the eye suddenly becomes completely blocked, pressure builds up rapidly, and this is called acute angle-closure glaucoma. The symptoms include severe eye pain, blurred vision, and headache, rainbow haloes around lights, nausea and vomiting. Unless an ophthalmologist treats acute angle-closure glaucoma quickly, blindness can result. When the drainage angle of the eye gradually becomes completely blocked, pressure builds up gradually, and this is called chronic angle-closure glaucoma. This type of glaucoma can be prevented by a laser procedure, in people who are at risk.
  • Congenital glaucoma is a rare form of the disease affecting babies, with 80% of these cases diagnosed by age one.
  • Pigmentary glaucoma in an uncommon rare form of the disease caused by pigment from the iris clogging the drainage angles, preventing aqueous humor from leaving the eye. Pigmentary glaucoma affects mostly white males in their mid-30s to mid-40s. This form of glaucoma responds well to laser treatment
  • Secondary glaucoma develops after trauma or disease damages the drainage system. Injury, infection, inflammation, tumor, or an enlarged cataract can precipitate secondary glaucoma.

    • Who’s at risk?

    There are several risk factors for glaucoma:

  • Patients over the age of 60
  • African-Americans are eight times more likely to have glaucoma
  • Family history of glaucoma
  • Previous trauma to the eye
  • Myopia – severe nearsightedness
  • Diseases affecting circulation

    Click here to read more about how glaucoma can be treated.

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