All About Glaucoma – Causes, Symptoms and Solutions

Come March 12 and it is world Glaucoma Day. It is a day dedicated to raising awareness about Glaucoma that is fast becoming one of the leading causes of blindness today. In fact, World Glaucoma Week is being observed from March 9-15, 2025.

So, what exactly is Glaucoma? It is a set of eye conditions that can cause vision loss and damage to the optic nerve; glaucoma has no cure. Glaucoma is a common issue which damages the optic nerve of the eyes and happens slowly making it hard to notice. Usually seen in adults post 60, it can also happen to younger people and is an issue due to pressure build up in the eyes. If you notice symptoms like severe eye pain, nausea, vomiting, redness in your eye, sudden vision disturbances, seeing coloured rings around lights or sudden blurred vision, it is best to see an ophthalmologist. While there is no cure, treatment can help slow or stop the same. Simply explained this issue occurs when the fluid in the eye does not drain causing build up which strains the optic nerve and causes loss of vision. It usually happens to both eyes, sometimes one eye may be more severe than the other.

Causes and Variations: If you have diabetes or another underlying health condition, a family history of glaucoma, eye injury, an earlier eye surgery, severe myopia, or high blood pressure you could have glaucoma so you need to be alert. There are different kinds of glaucoma. The most common is open-angle glaucoma or chronic glaucoma that develops slowly over time. Closed angle glaucoma or acute angle-closure glaucoma starts suddenly, has pain and rapid vision loss. Low-tension glaucoma, a rare condition where even low pressure in the eyes can damage optic nerves. Pigmentary glaucoma happens in early or middle adulthood, the pigment cells that give the iris its colour disperse throughout the eye. Childhood glaucoma is a genetic defect seen in some children.

Treatment: Your eye doctor can recommend something as simple as eye drops that can improve fluid drainage. If this does not work you may need surgery which can help to open channels to improve drainage of the liquid, have a drainage implant or unblock the canals responsible for drainage. Treatment is usually done for both eyes. The best way to help mitigate glaucoma is to visit your eye doctor regularly so that they can help mitigate any issue in the future. Once you are post 40, it will help to do this test annually or as per the duration suggested by the doctor.

Take care and stay alert to be free from glaucoma.