Symptoms and Cure for Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease that affects the optic nerve within the eye. Damage to the optic nerve leads to vision loss. The two most common forms of glaucoma are primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and angle-closure glaucoma (ACG). If glaucoma is not treated, it can lead to blindness. Although there is no known cure for glaucoma, there are several ways to control the disease.

Symptoms of Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma (POAG)

• In open-angle glaucoma, or POAG, an increase in eye pressure and damage to the optic nerve is caused by the clogging of the eye's canals.This type of glaucoma is the most common form of the disease, affecting around 4 million Americans.

  If you suffer from open-angle glaucoma, you may have no symptoms or warning signs. This condition can develop slowly over several years without noticeable vision changes or loss. Some patients may notice a slight loss of peripheral vision, but this is usually undetected. By the time you notice more severe vision loss, the glaucoma is in an advanced state. This is why it is important to have yearly eye examinations by your ophthalmologist.

Symptoms of Angle-Closure Glaucoma (ACG)

• Angle-closure glaucoma is also caused by blocked canals within the eye. This blockage causes an increase in internal eye pressure. However, the angle in your eye where your iris meets your cornea is not open and as wide as it is in normal eyes, or in eyes affected by open-angle glaucoma. ACG is rare, but it develops quickly and requires immediate attention from an ophthalmologist.

  The symptoms of ACG are blurred vision, rainbow-colored circles when looking at bright lights, eye pain, nausea with severe eye pain and rapid vision loss.

Managing Glaucoma with Eyedrops

• Although there is no known cure for either type of glaucoma, there are treatments available that can help relieve eye pressure. Your ophthalmologist will either prescribe eyedrops or suggest alternative therapies to lower the pressure within your eye. It is important to see your ophthalmologist on a regular basis to manage your glaucoma.

  Several prescription eyedrops, including Timoptic, Xalatan and Alphagan, are used to initially lower the pressure within your eyes. Your doctor will then monitor your eye's pressure. He may have to try several types of eyedrops before finding the right one for your eyes.

Alternative Therapies for Glaucoma

• Your ophthalmologist may also suggest alternative therapies for treating your glaucoma. She may suggest exercise to help manage your condition. Regular aerobic exercise can lower your eye's internal pressure and may improve blood flow to the retina. Eye pressure can be lowered by simply walking briskly for 20 minutes, four times per week.

  According to AgingEye.net, controversial studies in the 1970s demonstrated that the use of medical marijuana can help reduce eye pressure in glaucoma sufferers. These studies, however, did not show that marijuana is any more effective than traditional drug therapies.

  Your doctor may also suggest acupuncture as an alternative form of therapy for glaucoma. Many patients report an increase in visual clarity after acupuncture therapy. Internal eye pressure, however, has not been proven to be affected by acupuncture.