What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of diseases characterized by damage to the optic nerve and typical changes in peripheral vision. In most cases, this is associated with an increase in intraocular pressure /over 21 mmHg/. However, glaucoma can also occur with normal or low pressure levels. Patients with glaucoma very rarely have symptoms, and the only way to diagnose the disease is through a preventive eye examination. Glaucoma is called the ‘silent thief of sight’—an insidious disease that asymptomatically damages the optic nerve and leads to blindness.

What are the types of glaucoma?

We distinguish two main types of glaucoma: open-angle and angle-closure glaucoma. The most common is open-angle glaucoma, which progresses slowly and asymptomatically damages the patient’s vision. The cause is the impaired drainage of intraocular fluid, which is chronic and symptom-free. In the case of angle-closure glaucoma, there is a sudden deterioration and blockage in the outflow of fluid from the eye. This is accompanied by acute clinical symptoms, including severe pain and redness of the eye, rapid vision deterioration, colored halos around light sources, headache, nausea, vomiting, and more.

Although rare, there are also congenital and childhood glaucoma with their typical signs and symptoms.

What are the risk factors for glaucoma?

• Age over 40 years
• Relatives with glaucoma
• Diabetes, arterial hypertension, cardiovascular diseases
• Prolonged corticosteroid therapy
• Eye trauma
• Inflammatory diseases in the eye
• High intraocular pressure
• Myopia
• Thin corneal thickness
• African and Asian race
• Migraine
• Impaired circulation in the limbs, etc.