Signs and Symptoms of Acute Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a set of conditions that come together to cause damage to the cornea of the eye or the optic nerve, and can eventually cause blindness if not treated in time. To determine if you have acute glaucoma, an ophthalmologist will run a series of tests to determine the rate and angle of fluid flowing from the eye. Treatment ranges from eye drops designed to repair the flow of fluid to the eye, to laser surgery aimed at opening up drainage ducts in the eye.

Eye Pain

• Acute glaucoma may take some time to develop, and as it develops, it will create symptoms that are very noticeable, one of which is pain in the eye area. It begins as a dull pain and becomes sharper. You may also notice the area around your eyes getting red and swollen as the condition advances. Nausea may come along with the pain, and it could lead to vomiting.

Vision

• As acute glaucoma continues to affect your eyes, you will notice changes to your vision. You may notice the occasional disruption of your eyesight, especially when little ambient light is present. This could be a case of double vision, your vision may go blurry or you may lose the ability to make out shapes in low light. You will see effects around white lights that look like rings or layers that extend out from the light source. Once again, this is more prominent when there is low ambient light, and white light is the primary source of light.

Headaches

• As acute glaucoma progresses, you may begin to notice regular headaches that are unpredictable in both their origin and duration. They can be severe, and they may become more severe as the condition progresses. They may be accompanied by nausea, just as the eye pain was, and this nausea could also lead to vomiting.

Cloudy Vision

• The cornea is the clear dome that protects the eye, and this is the area usually affected by acute glaucoma. It may not be very noticeable at first, but as the condition progresses, a white cloud will begin to develop in the cornea that will make vision difficult and eventually could make seeing impossible.

Primary and Secondary Symptoms

• According to the Mayo Clinic, when the cause of acute glaucoma cannot be traced, it is referred to as a primary condition. When the cause can be traced to some other condition or event, such as a traumatic eye injury or a tumor, then it is called a secondary condition. When acute glaucoma is a secondary condition, it will also take on the symptoms of the primary condition. For example, if diabetes is the primary cause of acute glaucoma, you will experience symptoms of diabetes and acute glaucoma.