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Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the eye’s optic nerve and result in vision loss and blindness; it typically occurs when the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises. It is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. However, with early treatment, you can often protect your eyes against serious vision loss.
The optic nerve is a bundle of more than 1 million nerve fibers. It connects the retina to the brain. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy optic nerve is necessary for good vision.
In the front of the eye is a space called the anterior chamber. A clear fluid flows continuously in and out of the chamber and nourishes nearby tissues. The fluid leaves the chamber at the open angle where the cornea and iris meet. When the fluid reaches the angle, it flows through a spongy meshwork, like a drain, and leaves the eye.
Not necessarily. Increased eye pressure means you are at risk, but does not mean you have the disease. A person has glaucoma only if the optic nerve is damaged. If you have increased eye pressure but no damage to the optic nerve, you do not have glaucoma. However, you are at risk.
Not necessarily. Not every person with increased eye pressure will develop the disease. Some people can tolerate higher eye pressure better than others. Also, a certain level of eye pressure may be high for one person but normal for another. Whether you develop glaucoma depends on the level of pressure your optic nerve can tolerate without being damaged. This level is different for each person.
Yes, it can develop without increased eye pressure. This form is called low-tension or normal-tension glaucoma. It is not as common as open-angle glaucoma.