Types of Glaucoma

Glaucoma is actually a group of eye diseases that can lead to blindness if left untreated. The most common type of glaucoma is hereditary. For many people, this condition does not have to result in permanent vision loss.

Glaucoma can be controlled with modern treatment, and today’s advances in technology can also help prevent future damage to your eyes. Unfortunately, many people are at risk for glaucoma, and often, there may be no symptoms whatsoever in the early stages of the disease. It has been estimated that half of the people affected with glaucoma do not even know they have it.

How do I get Glaucoma?

This disease happens when the pressure in your eye is higher than your eye can endure. If your body produces too much fluid (called aqueous humor) inside your eye, or when fluids in your eye do not filter adequately, glaucoma can occur.

A higher-than-normal pressure causes damage to the optic nerve, which acts like an electric cable that carries messages from your eye to your brain. Damage to this nerve causes vision impairment, which can happen gradually or abruptly if the disease is not controlled.

Early Detection
The key is to catch glaucoma in its early stages by recognizing the warning signs and getting routine examinations. As stated earlier, approximately half of those who suffer from glaucoma do not know they have the disease because it usually destroys eyesight with few symptoms. Because of this, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in people over age 40.

The following are groups at higher risk for developing glaucoma:

  • African Americans
  • People over age 60
  • Family history of glaucoma
  • Older Hispanics
  • Asians
  • Steroid users
  • Eye injury victims

And those with:

  • High myopia (nearsightedness)
  • Diabetes
  • Hypertension
  • A central corneal thickness less than .5 mm.

While treatment is unable to reverse damage already caused by glaucoma, it can prevent further vision loss.

Types of Glaucoma
There are two main categories of adult glaucoma: Open angle and closed angle. Each type is characterized by an increase of intraocular pressure (IOP) (the pressure inside your eye).

If your IOP is normal and your optic nerve is still damaged, you will have what is called normal tension glaucoma. When another disease contributes to an increased IOP and the result is vision loss, you have what is called secondary glaucoma.

Open Angle Glaucoma
Affecting about 3 million people in the United States, open angle glaucoma is the most common form. It develops over time, when the pressure in your eye builds up and the area deep inside your drainage canal becomes congested. This pressure damages your delicate optic nerve. Open angle glaucoma generally responds well to eye drop treatment to the lower pressure inside your eye.

Types of open angle glaucoma include:

  • Primary open angle glaucoma
  • Low tension glaucoma
  • Pigmentary glaucoma
  • Exfoliative glaucoma

Closed Angle Glaucoma
Angle closure, or closed angle glaucoma, is less common and is often caused by a developmental abnormality in your eye. This form occurs when the drainage canals become covered or blocked. With closed angle glaucoma, the eye is often shorter and the iris is not as wide and open as it should be, causing compression. The pressure increases quickly, unlike open angle glaucoma.

Symptoms include:

  • Headaches
  • Nausea
  • Blurred vision
  • Eye pain
  • Rainbows around lights at night

Types of angle closure glaucoma include:

  • Acute angle closure glaucoma
  • Chronic angle closure glaucoma