Warning Signs of Glaucoma and How it is Treated
Posted December 10, 2019 by Jennifer Bohl, MD
Updated April 2025
Glaucoma is a disease of the eye that causes progressive damage to the optic nerve, which can lead to vision loss and even blindness. There are different types of glaucoma, each of which is related to pressure inside the eye. Most of the time, glaucoma develops later in life, however, it is possible to affect people at any age. The vision loss from glaucoma is permanent and it is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60.
Many forms of glaucoma have no early signs or symptoms, which makes screening eye exams especially important in helping to prevent visual decline. With early recognition, glaucomatous damage can be slowed or stopped, but the disease often requires lifelong monitoring and treatment.
Causes of Glaucoma
Every eye is filled with a fluid called aqueous humor. This fluid is constantly being produced by the eye and it drains back into the body’s bloodstream to maintain normal eye pressure. If there is a blockage of fluid drainage, the pressure in the eye builds up and can result in glaucoma. While some forms of glaucoma are inherited, most of the time the etiology is unknown. Less common causes include blunt or chemical injury to the eye, severe eye infections, blocked blood vessels in the eye, inflammatory eye diseases, and certain medications.
Risk Factors for Glaucoma
- Age greater than 60
- Family history of glaucoma
- Being of black, Asian, or Hispanic heritage
- Medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, migraine, and sickle cell anemia
- Having corneas that are thinner than average
- High internal eye pressure
- Extreme nearsighted or farsightedness
- History of eye injury
- Long-term use of steroid medication
Symptoms of Glaucoma
Signs and symptoms vary depending on the type and stage of the condition. When symptoms do develop, it is usually late in the disease. If you have any of the following symptoms, get medical care right away:
- Seeing halos around lights
- Vision loss
- Eye redness
- Whitening/haziness of the cornea
- Eye pain
- Patchy blind spots or loss of central vision
- Tunnel vision
- Severe headaches
Prevention
Taking care of your sight on a regular basis and taking steps to detect glaucoma in its early stages can be important in preventing vision loss and slowing its progress.
- Know your family’s eye health history.
- Get regular dilated comprehensive eye exams to help detect glaucoma in its early stages.
- Exercise regularly to help reduce eye pressure.
- Wear eye protection when using power tools or playing sports to avoid serious injuries.
Summa Health offers high-quality vision care including glaucoma evaluation and treatment in an intimate and personalized setting. Visit Summa Health Ophthalmology to learn more about our team and to schedule an appointment.
About the Author
Vitality eNews Sign Up
Receive the Summa Health eNewsletter for the latest health tips, advice and updates.
Related Blogs
Hearing is one of the important senses for obvious reasons: You need to hear to communicate and connect with others! But, did you know the ability to hear also is crucial for maintaining other aspects of your health, such as your balance and brain health?
It’s true. Hearing loss can significantly impact your daily life, and studies show it can lead to social anxiety and isolation, an increased fall risk, dementia and depression.
Unfortunately, hearing loss is a common…
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately one in 10 Americans have diabetes. Diabetes can take a toll on your quality of life, seriously impact your physical and mental well-being and lead to many medical issues, including affecting the eye.
Diabetic eye disease is a group of eye conditions that affect diabetic patients. Patients who maintain high blood glucose for a prolonged period of time can damage the tiny blood vessels located behind…
Nosebleeds are very common and can strike at any time. While they can look scary with blood trickling out your nose, the good news is nosebleeds are rarely serious.
But you may be wondering, what is causing this messy nuisance?
There are many reasons why you could be getting nosebleeds. The most common cause is dry air. During the winter months, dry household heat and cold, dry air outside can irritate nasal membranes and trigger nosebleeds.
Other reasons for nosebleeds can…
Tonsillectomies are common surgeries performed on children. But sometimes adults can benefit from having their tonsils removed, too.
Tonsils are two oval-shaped clumps of tissue that sit in the back of your throat to trap germs that enter your body through your mouth or nose. Because they are your immune system’s first line of defense against bacteria or viruses, they are particularly vulnerable to infection and inflammation. This can cause recurring sore throats,…
We’ve all experienced it at one time or another: the dreaded hiccups. They can be funny at first, if not hysterical, but they quickly become a nuisance. Hiccups affect everyone, from babies in utero all the way up to senior citizens, but what are these loud, noisy, disruptive and sometimes uncomfortable hiccups?
Hiccups occur when the diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle between the lungs and the stomach, spasms from irritation. The diaphragm pulls down when you inhale to let…
Dr. Philip Khalil and Dr. Ryan Gerritsen lead a discussion on sinus conditions, as well as treatment options.
Vision is something many of us take for granted. We use our eyes to see our loved ones, read a great book or watch a movie, play video games with our children and every activity in between.
However, you may be surprised to see that many of the habits you practice every day could actually be putting your eyesight at risk and could lead to painful eye conditions or even vision loss.
Yes, some eye conditions are hereditary, but many are a result of poor eye care. Summa Health…
The thyroid is a small but mighty gland in your neck that produces the thyroid hormone which has huge importance in how your body functions. This gland impacts many different areas of your health, including your metabolism, heart function, digestive function, muscle control, mood and brain development.
According to the American Thyroid Association,more than 20 million Americans suffer from some form of thyroid disease, and women are as much as 8 times more likely than men to…
Warmer air, flowers blooming, sunshine! Most of us are happy to be headed into spring. But for some of us, this is the time of year we dread the most - spring allergy season. Did you know spring allergies can actually begin as early as February, depending on your location and the duration of your winter season? And, they can last until the middle of summer!
Common Causes of Allergies
First, let’s talk about the most common cause of allergies: pollen. It’s an…