Eye Disorders - Glaucoma

This disorder affects more than 3 million Americans. It is a leading cause of blindness. The most common form of glaucoma is a slowly progressive disease that gradually ruins vision.

Glaucoma is an optic nerve deterioration. The optic nerve is the main eye nerve. It is like a cable with more than a million individual nerve fibers from the retina, passing from the eye to the visual part of the brain. In glaucoma, these nerve fibers die and disappear and the optic nerve erodes, as does eyesight.

Chronic open-angle glaucoma is the most common form. Others are angle-closure glaucoma, pigmentary glaucoma and congenital glaucoma. Trauma, disease and some medications can cause glaucoma.

Testing & Treatment
Routine eye examination will reveal evidence of glaucoma—even in its earliest stages. Treatment can be initiated and vision loss prevented. Most glaucoma is controlled by eye drop medication. A minority require surgery.

Basic testing is measurement of eye pressure and examination of the optic nerve. There are several other features of the eye that are evaluated. Special tests, such as visual field test and imaging of the optic nerve, are helpful.

For more information visit:

• The Glaucoma Foundation
• EyeSmart