Glaucoma:
Glaucoma is a sight-threatening disorder marked by an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP)—the pressure within the eyeball—that is too high for the optic nerve to tolerate.
Because the condition does not cause symptoms in its early stages, half of the three million Americans who have glaucoma don’t know it. Between five and 10 million others are at increased risk because of elevated IOP that hasn’t yet caused optic nerve damage.
There are two forms of glaucoma: open angle glaucoma and closed angle glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma, which accounts for 90 percent of all cases, is a slow, progressive disease. By contrast, closed-angle glaucoma is relatively uncommon, and is characterized by rapid and extreme elevations of IOP, often causing acute symptoms such as severe eye pain and rapid blurring of vision.
Both types of glaucoma may lead to blindness by damaging the optic nerve; however, early detection and treatment can usually control IOP and prevent severe vision loss. Most prevalent among those over age 40, glaucoma is more common in African Americans or when there is a positive family history.
In this area, we bring you the latest news on glaucoma.
Glaucoma Articles:
Johns Hopkins Symptoms and Remedies on Vision and Eye Care:
More on Glaucoma:
All the articles in the Vision and Eye Care area are derived from our monthly newsletter, Johns Hopkins Health After 50, and our annual Johns Hopkins White Paper: Vision.
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