Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve, which transmits the images you see from the eye to the brain. The optic nerve is made up of many nerve fibers (like an electric cable with its numerous wires). Glaucoma damages nerve fibers, which can cause blind spots and vision loss.
Glaucoma has to do with the pressure inside the eye, known as intraocular pressure (IOP). When the aqueous humor (a clear liquid that normally flows in and out of the eye) cannot drain properly, pressure builds up in the eye. The resulting increase in IOP can damage the optic nerve and lead to vision loss.
The most common form of glaucoma is primary open-angle glaucoma, in which the aqueous fluid is blocked from flowing back out of the eye at a normal rate through a tiny drainage system. Most people who develop primary open-angle glaucoma notice no symptoms until their vision is impaired.
Ocular hypertension is often a forerunner to actual open-angle glaucoma. When ocular pressure is above normal, the risk of developing glaucoma increases. Several risk factors will affect whether you will develop glaucoma, including the level of IOP, family history, and corneal thickness. If your risk is high, your ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) may recommend treatment to lower your IOP to prevent future damage.
In angle-closureglaucoma, the iris (the colored part of the eye) may drop over and completely close off the drainage angle, abruptly blocking the flow of aqueous fluid and leading to increased IOP or optic nerve damage. In acute angle-closure glaucoma there is a sudden increase in IOP due to the buildup of aqueous fluid. This condition is considered an emergency because optic nerve damage and vision loss can occur within hours of the problem. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, seeing halos around lights, and eye pain.
Even some people with “normal” IOP can experience vision loss from glaucoma. This condition is called normal-tension glaucoma. In this type of glaucoma, the optic nerve is damaged even though the IOP is considered normal. Normal-tension glaucoma is not well understood, but lowering IOP has been shown to slow progression of this form of glaucoma.
Childhood glaucoma, which starts in infancy, childhood, or adolescence, is rare. Like primary open-angle glaucoma, there are few, if any, symptoms in the early stage. Blindness can result if it is left untreated. Like most types of glaucoma, childhood glaucoma may run in families. Signs of this disease include:
Your ophthalmologist may tell you that you are at risk for glaucoma if you have one or more risk factors, including having an elevated IOP, a family history of glaucoma, certain optic nerve conditions, are of a particular ethnic background, or are of advanced age. Regular examinations with your ophthalmologist are important if you are at risk for this condition.
The goal of glaucoma treatment is to lower your eye pressure to prevent or slow further vision loss. Your ophthalmologist will recommend treatment if the risk of vision loss is high. Treatment often consists of eyedrops but can include laser treatment or surgery to create a new drain in the eye. Glaucoma is a chronic disease that can be controlled but not cured. Ongoing monitoring (every three to six months) is needed to watch for changes. Ask your ophthalmologist if you have any questions about glaucoma or your treatment.
There are two types of laser treatments for glaucoma: Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT) and Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT)
Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT) and Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) are laser surgical procedures used for patients with open-angle glaucoma to help lower intraocular pressure (IOP). ALT or SLT is used to treat the trabecular meshwork—the mesh-like drainage canals surrounding the iris—that serves as the eye’s drainage system. The goal of treatment with ALT or SLT is to improve the flow of fluid out of the eye, helping to lower IOP.
ALT or SLT is typically performed in the ophthalmologist’s (Eye M.D.’s) office or an outpatient surgery center. The procedure usually takes about five to ten minutes. First, anesthetic drops are placed in your eye. The laser device looks similar to the examination microscope that your ophthalmologist uses to look at your eyes at each office visit.
You will experience a flash of light with each laser application. Most people are comfortable and do not experience any significant pain during the surgery, though some may feel a little pressure in their eye during the laser procedure.
Most patients will need to have their pressure checked after the laser treatment, since there is a risk of increased eye pressure after the procedure. If this does occur, you may require medications to lower the pressure, which will be administered in the office. Rarely, IOP elevates to a very high pressure and does not come down. If this happens, you may need to have surgery to lower the pressure.
Most people notice some blurring of their vision after the laser treatment. This typically clears within a few hours. The chance of your vision becoming permanently affected from this procedure is very small.
In general, patients can resume normal daily activities the day after laser surgery. You may need to use drops after the laser surgery to help the eye heal properly.
It will take several weeks to determine how much your pressure will be lowered with ALT or SLT. You may require additional laser or glaucoma drainage surgery to lower the IOP if it is not sufficiently lowered after the first laser treatment.
In most cases, medications are still necessary to control and maintain eye pressure. However, surgery may lessen the amount of medication you need.
If you have glaucoma and medications and laser surgeries do not lower your eye pressure adequately, your ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) may recommend a procedure called a trabeculectomy.
In this procedure, a tiny drainage hole is made in the sclera (the white part of the eye). The new drainage hole allows fluid to flow out of the eye into a filtering area called a bleb. The bleb is mostly hidden under the eyelid. When successful, the procedure will lower your intraocular pressure (IOP), minimizing the risk of vision loss from glaucoma. The surgery is performed in an operating room on an outpatient basis.
Elevated Intraocular Pressure (high pressure within the eye) is the number one risk factor for glaucoma. However, elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) does not always cause glaucoma.
The average eye pressure in adults ranges between 10 mm Hg and 21 mm Hg (“mm Hg” stands for “millimeters of mercury”). There can be a significant difference in your IOP throughout the course of a day. This variation is known as diurnal fluctuation. We know that many patients with IOP in the 20s do not develop glaucoma. Up to 50% of patients diagnosed with glaucoma have an initial pressure reading lower than 22 mm Hg. Intraocular pressure is not a very sensitive tool for diagnosing glaucoma, but it becomes very useful in monitoring treatment for glaucoma.
A variety of methods can be used to check the intraocular pressure, but the most common is applanation tonometry. Your ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) will often set a “target” pressure for you and will work hard to keep the pressure at or below that target to help preserve your vision.
Because it has no noticeable symptoms, glaucoma is a difficult disease to detect without regular, complete eye exams.
During a glaucoma evaluation, your ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) will perform the following tests:
Each of these evaluation tools is an important way to monitor your vision to help ensure that glaucoma does not rob you of your sight. Some of these tests will not be necessary for everyone. Your ophthalmologist will discuss which tests are best for you. Some tests may need to be repeated on a regular basis to monitor any changes in your vision caused by glaucoma.