Signs & Symptoms of Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a condition of the inner eye that can lead to blindness. Acute glaucoma is much more serious and should be given emergency treatment while early-onset glaucoma and open-angle glaucoma are non-emergency chronic conditions. The aqueous humor is unable to drain out normally, which causes an increase in the pressure inside your eye. The aqueous humor is a clear fluid that is found in the front of the eyeball.

Definition

• Glaucoma is an elevated pressure within the eye, resulting from obstructed flow of aqueous humor out of the eye. The nerve fibers that make up the optic nerve are gradually destroyed. There are several subtypes of glaucoma -- acute, with angle-closure and closed-angle as subtypes and primary open-angle glaucoma.

Acute (Closed-Angle and Angle-Closure)

• This form of glaucoma is the more severe and less-common form. The symptoms include severe eye pain, severe headache, swollen upper lids, tender and firm eyeballs, blurry vision nausea and vomiting. Your pupils also will be dilated. Acute glaucoma is considered a medical emergency, and you can lose your vision in the affected eye in as few as two to five days. Go to your eye doctor right away so he can diagnose your condition. Because of how rapidly this disease takes your vision, visiting the emergency room may not be a prudent decision.

Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

• This is genetic condition considered to be "chronic" glaucoma and is not a medical emergency. It occurs when the drainage canals begin to slowly clog. Your peripheral vision deteriorates over a period of years. Symptoms are mild, and they come and go. You may feel them when you are in a darkened room; rest seems to resolve the symptoms temporarily. You may develop headaches, blurry vision and a dull pain in your eyes. Advanced symptoms include central blindness and halos around lights.

Early-Onset Glaucoma

• This diagnosis is given when you develop symptoms of glaucoma before your 40th birthday; it is inherited. Symptoms include a reduction in peripheral vision, excessive tearing, bulging eyes, abnormal sensitivity to light and eventually, blindness.

Treatments

• For closed-angle and angle-closure glaucoma, glycerol, urea and mannitol prescription eyedrops reduce the pressure within the eye. Your doctor will tell you how often to use them; do not use them any more often than prescribed.
  Prescription acetazolamide is used in eyedrops to reduce pressure within the eye as well. Your prescription will depend on how often your doctor wants you to administer the medication each day. Do not use more than is prescribed.
  You may also undergo surgery to relieve pressure in your eyes by having a small opening made on the outside edges of your irises.
  Consider argon laser surgery which creates small burns in the drainage network at the edge of your iris. Glaucoma medications may still be necessary. This particular surgery might need to be repeated as its effects are not permanent.
  If you have primary open-angle glaucoma, you can use prescription pilocarpine eyedrops which make your pupils constrict. Your doctor will tell you how often to administer the drops; do not administer any more than you are prescribed.
  Other medications to consider are epinephrine and beta-agonist blockers. These medications have side effects you might consider undesirable.
  Side effects of pilocarpine include a headache near your eyebrows (temporary), a temporary obscuring of your vision and a slight pricking sensation on your eyes.
  The side effects of epinephrine (adrenaline) are a dilatation of your pupils. Some glaucoma patients may experience heart palpitations and nervousness.
  Because of the effect beta-agonist blockers (Timolol) have on asthmatics and patients with other lung conditions and heart conditions, their eye doctors will never prescribe this kind of glaucoma medication. Some side effects include muscle weakness around the eyes, drooping eyelids and double vision.
  Glaucoma eyedrops are powerful medications. Administer your prescription precisely as directed.