Among the different eye conditions you can get as an older adult, glaucoma is one of the more common. This disease can cause partial or full blindness over time to the pressure it puts on your optic nerve. Here are some things to know about glaucoma and what you can do about it.
Types of Glaucoma
The first thing to know about glaucoma is that there are different types to be aware of. One type of glaucoma is called angle-closure, which occurs when the angle of your eye becomes narrowed and eventually blocks entirely. This is where drainage occurs, so if it becomes blocked, more pressure builds up in your eye, leading to a loss of vision. In addition to your vision difficulties, this type of glaucoma may also cause eye pain, headaches, or even nausea. Open-angle glaucoma is the other type and it is a little more common. The open angle of the drainage area of your eye is blocked, which then leads to vision loss. Unfortunately, this type of glaucoma has very few symptoms so you may not notice it until you have vision loss or when you visit your optometrist.
The Potential Causes of Glaucoma
The exact cause of glaucoma and why some people get it while others don't isn't entirely known. However, glaucoma forms as a result of pressure on the optic nerve or due to a lack of blood flow. If you have extra eye pressure for long periods of time, it might increase your risk for glaucoma, though even people with normal eye pressure can get it. You are also at a higher risk if you are an older adult or if someone in your family has had it, since it can be genetic.
Warning Signs and Symptoms
While some forms of glaucoma don't cause many symptoms, there are some early warning signs you should watch out for. These might be very subtle but can let you know that there is something wrong with your eyes and vision. Remember that glaucoma can occur in one or both of your eyes, so it won't necessarily happen with both eyes. For example, if you have frequent double vision, dark spots in your vision, or distorted edges and lines when looking at something, they could be early warning signs. Some other warning signs include not being to adjust your vision in a dark room, having to squint due to frequent glares, or trouble focusing on objects far away.
There are a number of tests that will be performed by your optometrist to determine if you have glaucoma. You should either visit them during a routine visit or you notice any of the aforementioned early warning signs. Some tests that are performed when looking for glaucoma are the visual acuity test, field test, and a dilated eye exam. The optometrist might also perform a tonometry test.