Glaucoma

Eye Glaucoma: What It Is – Causes – Symptoms – Treatment

Written by Vasileios Kozobolis, founder of the Hellenic Center for Research & Therapy of Eye Diseases (ELKETHOP)

Full Medical Biography

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is an eye condition and one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide.

It gradually causes progressive damage to the optic nerve, primarily due to increased intraocular pressure. The result is reduced sensitivity of the ganglion cells, and as the disease progresses, glaucoma is characterized by peripheral vision loss, potentially leading to total blindness.

All individuals over 40 should undergo an eye examination every two years, especially if there is a family history of glaucoma.

The goal of any treatment is to prevent the condition from worsening, as glaucoma is considered an irreversible disease.

Causes – Risk Factors

Increased intraocular pressure is clearly one of the main risk factors for glaucoma. However, glaucoma can also occur in individuals with normal eye pressure.

Specifically, there may be normal-tension or low-tension glaucoma with concurrent optic nerve damage. In such cases, vascular factors play an important role. Conversely, eye pressure may be high without any optic nerve damage; this condition is called ocular hypertension.

Other notable risk factors include family history, age, corticosteroid use, myopia, and eye trauma.

Symptoms

Most of the time, glaucoma produces no symptoms and is diagnosed incidentally during an eye exam. Patients often visit an ophthalmologist only at advanced stages, when significant vision loss has already occurred.

Types of Glaucoma

• Chronic Open-Angle Glaucoma
  This is the most common type. Most people maintain good vision for many years, and deterioration occurs slowly, often unnoticed until irreversible damage has occurred.
• Angle-Closure Glaucoma
  A less common type, in which eye pressure rises rapidly and suddenly. Symptoms may include headache and light sensitivity at night. Immediate treatment is required, either with a minor surgical procedure or laser.
• Secondary Glaucoma
  Usually caused by eye injury or elevated eye pressure. It can be mild or severe.
• Congenital Glaucoma
  Children born with glaucoma may experience lifelong cloudy eyes, light sensitivity, and excessive tearing.

Diagnosis

During a standard examination, the ophthalmologist will review your medical history and measure visual acuity. Essential tests include slit-lamp examination, tonometry, and optic nerve evaluation via fundoscopy.

Measuring intraocular pressure alone is not sufficient, as glaucoma may occur without elevated eye pressure.

If needed, the doctor may recommend additional tests, such as optic nerve tomography (SLO) or blood flow analysis of the optic nerve (BFA).

Treatment

There is no treatment that completely eliminates glaucoma. However, appropriate methods can prevent disease progression and adequately protect the optic nerve. Additionally, intraocular pressure can be lowered if elevated.

Medication: Special eye drops are used as prescribed by the doctor.

Laser Therapy: In recent years, increasingly effective lasers are recommended for glaucoma management.

Surgical Treatment: If micro-surgery is insufficient, conventional surgery is the next step, offering significant long-term benefits.

FAQ