Glaucoma
Glaucoma is the term for a group of eye diseases during which pressure-induced
damage to the nerves in the back of the eye - the optic nerves - results
in loss of eyesight. Peripheral (side) vision is the first to go, with
blindness as an eventual outcome.
There are two major types of glaucoma: open-angle glaucoma and closed-angle
glaucoma. Less common variations include congenital glaucoma, which
occurs in children, pigmentary glaucoma, which primarily affects males
in their mid-30s to mid-40s, and secondary glaucoma, which often occurs
following an eye injury.
Open-angle glaucoma - also known as chronic glaucoma - is the most
common form of glaucoma, yet it is also the least symptomatic. About
half of the people who suffer from chronic glaucoma don't know they
have it until permanent damage has already occurred.
The less-common type of glaucoma, closed-angle glaucoma, accounts for
just 10 percent of all glaucoma cases in the United States. Symptoms
come on suddenly and include blurred vision, pain and redness in one
eye. Other signs may include headaches, nausea and vomiting. One variation
of closed-angle glaucoma, called acute angle-closure glaucoma, is a
medical emergency, requiring immediate medical care to prevent permanent
eye damage. Any symptoms of closed-angle glaucoma should be treated
as potentially dangerous and should be treated promptly.
Currently, there is no cure for glaucoma, although special eye drops
may be used to relieve pressure on the optic nerves. Glaucoma is usually
a disqualifier for LASIK surgery.
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