Glaucoma is a condition which affects your sight due to a build-up of pressure inside the eye.

What does it look like?

Glaucoma will be unseen when looking at someone’s eye, it will be seen when looking at a photo of the back of the eye that your Optometrist can take:

Vision with Glaucoma will be as follows:

What causes this condition?
It develops when the fluid in the eyeball cannot drain properly and the pressure in the eye builds up. It will cause damage to the optic nerve and nerve fibres from the retina.

There are four main types of Glaucoma

Chronic open-angle glaucoma – this is the most common type of the condition that will develop slowly over time.

Primary angle-closure glaucoma – this type is quite rare and can be slow or rapid with a painful build-up of pressure behind the eye.

Secondary glaucoma – this is a result of eye injury or another underlying eye condition.

Developmental glaucoma – this is a rare but serious type, which only occurs in young children due to them being born with an abnormal eye.

How do I avoid this condition?
The main ways to avoid it is prevention. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, balanced diet, not smoking, taking omega 3 and not exposing your eyes to UV rays will all help to preventing it.

Treatment
It can be treated with eye drops, laser treatment or surgery. Although damage to the eyes cannot be reversed and that is why getting your annual eye check is important.

Have any concerns?
At Opticare we provide specialist eye care and advice that helps you maintain good eye health. If you have a relevant family history of this condition or feel you may be at risk, you can book an appointment online or alternatively use the contact details below.

Ayrshire: 01475 673985 or email us at largs@opticareltd.co.uk
Glasgow: 0141 3328444 or email us at glasgow@opticareltd.co.uk