Table of contents:
- Blindness due to glaucoma is permanent
- What are the common symptoms of glaucoma?
- Be aware of the symptoms of glaucoma based on the type
- 1. Symptoms of open angle glaucoma
- 2. Symptoms of angle closure glaucoma
- 3. Symptoms of congenital glaucoma
- What types of tests are performed to detect glaucoma?
Apart from cataracts, another common cause of blindness in the eyes is glaucoma. However, the effects of glaucoma can be even more severe because the blindness it causes cannot be cured at all. That is why it is important for you to recognize and be aware of the various glaucoma symptoms that may arise as early as possible.
Blindness due to glaucoma is permanent
Glaucoma is damage to the optic nerve or eye that causes vision problems and blindness. This condition generally occurs due to high pressure in the eyeball.
The eye nerve is a group of nerve fibers that connect the retina to the brain. When the nerves in the eye are damaged, the signals responsible for conveying what you see to the brain are disrupted. As it progresses, glaucoma can cause symptoms in the form of loss of vision.
The eye nerves will usually be damaged starting from the periphery (peripheral). This causes your visual field to become narrower. Proverbial, like you see through binoculars.
When viewing through a binocular lens, your field of view is narrower than if you didn't use binoculars, right?
Now, the more nerves are damaged, the "binoculars" will get smaller, even until they are closed, turning dark or blind. The nerve damage caused by glaucoma is permanent.
The causes of glaucoma are divided into 2, namely primary and secondary. In primary glaucoma, eye damage is not known what the exact cause is. Meanwhile, secondary glaucoma usually occurs because there are other pre-existing diseases.
What are the common symptoms of glaucoma?
Usually, glaucoma disease will not show any symptoms in its initial phase. This disease tends to get worse and worse over time.
After several years have passed, sufferers may begin to feel visual disturbances in the edges of their eyes (peripheral vision), especially the part of the eyes that are close to the nose.
This is why this disease is often referred to as silent killer or killer in silence. Most people who have glaucoma feel fine and don't notice a change in the condition of their eyes, until the damage is already severe.
Some of the symptoms of glaucoma that suddenly appear include:
- intense pain in the eye
- nausea and vomiting
- red eyes
- headache
- the area around the eyes feels soft to the touch
- there is a circle that resembles a rainbow when looking at the light
- blurred or blurred vision
According to the website of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, some people may have no symptoms of eye damage, but have eye pressure that exceeds normal conditions (ocular hypertension). These people are classified as "suspected glaucoma" patients and have a higher risk of developing glaucoma at any time.
In fact, in certain cases, a person can also be suspected of glaucoma even though the pressure in the eye is still normal. This condition usually occurs when the doctor detects an abnormality in the optic nerve of the person.
Therefore, someone who is suspected of having glaucoma must undergo routine examinations even though there are no significant symptoms. This is important to prevent glaucoma, as well as determine the right drugs if needed.
Be aware of the symptoms of glaucoma based on the type
Broadly speaking, there are 2 types of glaucoma, namely primary open-angle glaucoma and primary closed-angle glaucoma.
The differences between the two are:
- Open-angle glaucoma usually shows no symptoms until the damage occurs, whereas closed-angle glaucoma may still cause some mild symptoms before an attack occurs.
- Visual disturbances due to open-angle glaucoma occur slowly, while angle-closure glaucoma can occur slowly or can occur suddenly (acute type).
In addition, there is also a type of glaucoma that has been around since the person is born and is believed to be a genetic condition, namely congenital glaucoma in infants and children. The characteristics and symptoms of glaucoma in infants and children usually also have certain differences from other types of glaucoma.
Here are the different signs and symptoms of glaucoma, based on the types.
1. Symptoms of open angle glaucoma
Open-angle glaucoma has no obvious symptoms, and it can develop slowly over years. However, the most common, symptoms of open-angle glaucoma are:
- Black spots on the sides of the eyes
- The eyesight looks like binoculars
Black spots on the sides of the eyes will begin to appear as an early symptom of open-angle glaucoma. This indicates that the nerves at the back of the eye have been damaged gradually, starting at the very edges.
These symptoms are often not realized by the owner of the body until their appearance is really severe at a later date. When it is at an advanced stage, then your vision will appear like binoculars, or called tunnel vision .
Tunnel vision
(source: theophthalmologist.com)
2. Symptoms of angle closure glaucoma
Some of the symptoms of closed-angle glaucoma that occur early in the development of the disease are blurred vision appearing white and dazzling circles on sight, lightheadedness, or slightly sore eyes.
When these symptoms occur, you should immediately prepare for a consultation with an ophthalmologist. Because, then there will be a closed angle attack, which will cause symptoms:
- severe pain in the eye or forehead
- Red eye
- decreased vision or blurred vision
- see rainbows or halos
- headache
- nausea and vomiting
If symptoms of this attack occur, you must immediately see a doctor for further treatment.
3. Symptoms of congenital glaucoma
Congenital or pediatric glaucoma is a rare condition found in infants and children. Usually, this condition is detected in the first year of the child's age.
Similar to glaucoma in general, this condition also occurs due to the development of an imperfect drainage system in the eye, resulting in high pressure on the eye.
As a parent, you can be aware of the characteristics and symptoms of congenital glaucoma in your child, such as:
- eye size that exceeds normal conditions
- more watery eyes
- there is a cloudy stain in the eye
- the eye is more sensitive to light
What types of tests are performed to detect glaucoma?
If you have started to feel the signs and symptoms above, immediately consult the nearest clinic or hospital. The doctor will perform investigations to determine whether the symptoms you are experiencing are truly glaucoma.
First of all, the doctor will ask about your medical history, and perform an examination of your eyes first. After that, you will be asked to undergo additional eye tests, such as:
- Gonioscopy, to check the condition of the drainage angle in the eye
- Tonometry, to measure the pressure in your eyes
- Visual field examination, to find out which part of the eye begins to experience decreased vision
- Examination of the thickness of the cornea of the eye
In addition to diagnosing whether you have glaucoma or not, the results of these tests can also determine what type of glaucoma treatment is suitable for your condition. Depending on the results of the exam, your doctor may prescribe drops, oral medication, or recommend laser and eye surgery procedures.
