Glaucoma

Glaucoma can be a slowly progressing, silent, and most often symptom-less cause of blindness in older adults affecting 2% of the general population.

Hispanics and African Americans have a much higher incidence of the disease, and patients with a family history of glaucoma have a 15% chance of inheriting the trait for glaucoma. Since open angle glaucoma, the most common form of the disease, usually does not have any symptoms, early diagnosis requires an eye doctors examination.

Although glaucoma does not have a single cause, the only available treatments, either medical or surgical, involve lowering the internal pressure of the eye. Whatever treatment or treatments are utilized, glaucoma requires a life-long treatment regimen in order to prevent progressive loss of vision.

As glaucoma slowly progresses, optic nerve fiber loss occurs causing the optic nerve “cup” to become enlarged. This cupping enlargement process can only be determined by regularly scheduled dilated retinal exams by your eye doctor.

Aqueous Humor Flow

The flow of aqueous humor, the fluid filling the anterior chamber, creates the intra-ocular pressure of the eye. If too much fluid is being produced, or if the fluid cannot exit the eye properly; the intra-ocular pressure becomes elevated and damages the sensitive retinal nerve cells. Medical treatment of glaucoma addresses these issues by helping to decrease the production of fluid, or assisting in the outflow of fluid from the eye.