Do I Have Glaucoma Symptoms? What To Know About This Eye Disease

If you have been noticing issues with your eyes such as redness, blurred vision, pain, it can be signs of glaucoma. It’s a troublesome condition as it starts symptom-free. People may experience decrease in the peripheral vision but otherwise the eyesight may seem fine. By the time the vision becomes compromised, the disease has already advanced.

Are There Glaucoma Symptoms I Should Watch For?

• Open angle is the area between the iris and cornea. This junction creates an angle inside the eye. In open-angle glaucoma, the angle is wide open in appearance but the fluid inside the eye drains too slowly causing the fluid to back up inside your eye and create elevated pressure inside eye.
• Angle closure is the type of Glaucoma where the angle in the eye has actually closed in one or more areas because the fluid can’t flow as freely as it should and it causes increased pressure inside the eye.

So, how do I know if I have glaucoma?

For open-angle glaucoma, regular eye exam in Calgary T3M 2J6 is the only key. The ophthalmologist will examine optic nerves and check eye pressure.

For Angle-closure glaucoma, the symptoms are:

• Loss of vision
• Eye pain and headache
• Blurry vision
• Seeing rainbow coloured circles
• Vomiting and nausea

Isn’t Glaucoma an “Old Person’s” Disease?

About 2.2 million Americans have been diagnosed with Glaucoma making it leading cause of blindness in the world after cataracts. You can be at the risk of developing glaucoma if you are:

• Severely nearsighted
• African- American or Latino
• Diabetic
• Someone with cardiovascular disease

Is there any good news about glaucoma?

If your ophthalmologist diagnoses you with open-angle glaucoma, you can delay its progression with:

• Medication
• Laser trabeculoplasty
• Conventional surgery

The Angle-closure glaucoma can also be treated with prompt laser surgery and medication.

Is there any way I can prevent glaucoma?

• Early diagnosis and treatment
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Staying physically active
• Keeping blood pressure under control
• Avoid smoking