A group of eye diseases in which the optic nerve at the back of the eye is slowly destroyed, leading to impaired vision and blindness.
A condition in which fluid pressure builds up inside the eye.
Group of diseases characterized by increasing intraocular pressures causing defects in vision.
An eye disease characterised by increased intraocular pressure.
A disease in which pressure inside the eye increases can cause blindness if left untreated.
A condition of the eyes, caused by unusually high pressure of fluid inside the eyeball, resulting in disturbances of vision and blindness.
Disease of the eye characterized by increased pressure within the eye.
A condition involving abnormally high pressure on the aqueous fluid of the eye.
Disease in which elevated pressure in the eye, due to obstruction of the outflow of aqueous humor, damages the optic nerve and causes visual defects. Acute (angle-closure) glaucoma is a hereditary disorder with the iris blocking the flow of aqueous humor; symptoms, which may occur suddenly, include dilated pupil, red eye, blurred vision, and severe eye pain, sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting; if untreated by special eye drops or surgery, angle-closure glaucoma may result in permanent blindness within a few days. The much more common open-angle, or chronic, glaucoma, also hereditary, is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. Caused by blockage of the canal of Schlemm, it produces symptoms very slowly with gradual loss of peripheral vision over a period of years, sometimes with headache, dull pain, and blurred vision. Treatment involves the use of special eye drops. Glaucoma can also occur as a congenital defect or as a result of another eye disorder.
Increased intraocular pressure (IOP) because the aqueous humor cannot circulate freely; in open-angle glaucoma, the angle where the edges of the iris and cornea touch is normal and open, but the trabecular meshwork is blocked.
An eye disease that causes elevated pressure inside the eye. If not treated, blindness may result.
An eye disease characterized by damage to the optic nerve and loss of vision. Often glaucoma is a result of high pressure in the eye. This type of glaucoma results from an abnormality in the space in the front of the eye known as the anterior chamber. The anterior chamber is filled with a fluid (aqueous humor) that bathes and nourishes nearby tissues and is produced continuously. In the normal eye, aqueous humor flows into and out of the anterior chamber in equal amounts, maintaining a constant pressure. In high-pressure glaucoma, the fluid drains more slowly than it flows in, causing a buildup of pressure. Over time, this pressure damages the nerve and impairs the ability to see. Damage caused by glaucoma is irreversible, and untreated glaucoma can eventually lead to blindness. Glaucoma may also affect eyes with normal pressures. Glaucoma affects approximately one in every 100 Americans and is most likely to occur in people older than 50 years.
A condition in which loss of vision occurs because of an abnormally high pressure in the eye. In most cases there is no other ocular disease. This is known as primary glaucoma and there are two pathologically distinct types: acute congestive glaucoma, in which a sudden rise in pressure is accompanied by pain and marked blurring of vision; and chronic simple glaucoma, in which the pressure increases gradually, usually without producing pain, and the visual loss is insidious. The same type of visual loss may occur in eyes with a normal pressure: this is called low-tension glaucoma. Primary glaucoma occurs increasingly with age and is an important cause of blindness. Secondary glaucoma may occur when other ocular disease impairs the normal circulation of the aqueous humor and causes the intraocular pressure to rise.
A group of disorders of the eye characterized by the intraocular pressure being so high as to damage the nerve fibres in the retina and the optic nerve as it leaves the eye en route to the brain. The affected person suffers limitation of the field of vision and on examination the optic disc can be seen to be cupped. The clinical signs depend on the rate and extent of rise in pressure.
A group of eye diseases characterized by increased intraocular pressure, resulting in atrophy of the optic nerve. Glaucoma causes gradual loss of peripheral vision, and ultimately, blindness. Glaucoma is the third most prevalent cause of visual impairment and blindness in the U.S, although the incidence of blindness is decreasing due to early detection and treatment. An estimated 15 million residents of the U.S. have glaucoma; of these, 150,000 have bilateral blindness. The three major categories of glaucoma are narrow- or closed-angle (acute) glaucoma, which occurs in persons whose eyes are anatomically predisposed to develop the condition; open angle (chronic) glaucoma, in which the angle that permits the drainage of aqueous humor from the eye seems normal but functions inadequately due to overproduction of aqueous humor or outflow obstruction through the trabecular mesh work or the canal of Schlemm; and congenital glaucoma, in which intraocular pressure is increased because of an abnormal fluid drainage angle (which may result from congenital infections, Sturge-Weber syndrome, or prematurity-related retinopathy), or for an unknown reason. The increased pressure causes the globe of the eye to be enlarged, a condition known as buphthalmia. The acute type of glaucoma often is attended by acute pain. The chronic type has an insidious onset. An initial visual dysfunction is loss of the mid-peripheral field of vision. The loss of central visual acuity occurs later in the disease.
A condition in which the pressure of the fluid between the cornea and the lens increases beyond its normal level.
A disease of the eye marked by increased pressure within the eyeball that can result in damage to the optic disk and vision loss.
Glaucoma is a medical condition characterized by an elevation in intraocular pressure, which refers to the pressure inside the eye. If left untreated, this condition can potentially result in the loss of vision or blindness.
Glaucoma is a medical condition where elevated intraocular pressure, or the fluid pressure inside the eyes, leads to vision impairment. The ciliary body, a structure situated behind the iris, secretes a watery fluid known as aqueous humour into the front of the eye, which helps maintain the eye’s shape and nourishes the tissues. Any excess fluid usually drains away at the edge of the iris. However, in glaucoma, this excess fluid might be unable to drain properly, resulting in compression and blockage of the blood vessels that provide nourishment to the retina and optic nerve. This can potentially destroy nerve fibers, leading to a progressive loss of vision.
Chronic simple, also known as open-angle glaucoma, is the most prevalent type of glaucoma. It seldom occurs before the age of 40 and often exhibits a familial pattern. This condition is characterized by a gradual obstruction of the outflow of aqueous humour over several years, leading to a slow increase in pressure. It often presents no symptoms until the loss of vision has considerably progressed.
In the case of acute, also known as closed-angle glaucoma, the discharge of aqueous humour is abruptly obstructed, resulting in a rapid increase in pressure. This can lead to an intense, dull ache in and above the eye, a cloudy vision, and seeing halos around lights in the dark. It might also cause nausea and vomiting, and the eye may turn red and exhibit a dilated pupil.
Congenital glaucoma arises from a pre-birth abnormality in the eyes’ drainage angles. Other causes of glaucoma can include an injury or eye conditions like uveitis or lens dislocation.
A less frequently observed type known as normal-pressure or low-tension glaucoma occurs in individuals whose intraocular pressure is either normal or marginally elevated, yet it results in the same harm to the retina and optic nerve as extremely high fluid pressure. This condition is not fully comprehended; it appears that the pressure, while not deemed excessive, is intolerable for the tissues, resulting in damage.
Tonometry, a technique used to measure the pressure inside the eye, is employed to screen for glaucoma. Ophthalmoscopy may reveal a depression in the optic nerve head due to the pressure increase. Visual field tests are required to determine if vision has already been impaired, as long-term or severe glaucoma can lead to a loss of peripheral vision. Swift treatment is crucial to prevent permanent vision loss.
Chronic simple glaucoma can typically be managed with eye drops like timolol or pills that lower eye pressure. This treatment must be maintained throughout life. If medications prove ineffective, surgical procedures or laser treatment can be used to clear the drainage pathway at the edge of the iris or establish an artificial channel.
Acute glaucoma necessitates urgent medication, often administered in a hospital setting. Surgical intervention or laser treatment may be required to ward off future attacks. The common procedure is an iridectomy, where a small opening is made at the iris’s edge to facilitate easier drainage of the aqueous humour.
The treatment protocol for normal-pressure glaucoma mirrors that of open-angle glaucoma. However, the goal is to bring down the intraocular pressure to a level even below what is considered normal.
An eye condition marked by increased internal pressure within the eyeball, causing it to feel hard and rock-like to the touch. This condition can lead to intense eye pain, vomiting, and if not treated, can result in blindness.