Glaucoma is a group of eye condition that may result in optic nerve damage, which may induce loss of vision. Abnormal high pressure inside your eye can normally but not always cause this damage. It is one of the leading causes of blindness. It can damage the vision so gradually that loss of vision may not be noticed until a very advanced stage. Early diagnosis can preclude the damage of optic nerve and limit glaucoma-related vision loss.

Symptoms:

•Primary open-angle:
•Loss of peripheral vision generally in both eyes
•Tunnel vision in advanced stages
•Acute angle-closure:
•Nausea
•Vomiting
•Eye pain
•Sudden onset of visual disturbance
•Blurred vision
•Halos around light
•Reddening of the eye

Risk factors:

•Elevated internal eye pressure: If your internal eye pressure is higher than normal then you are at increased risk of developing glaucoma.

•Age: If you are older than 60 then you are at a higher risk of developing it. You may be at higher risk of angle-closure if you're older than age 40.

•Family history: If you have a family history of it then you have a greater risk of developing it. It may have a genetic link, meaning there's a defect in one or more genes that may cause certain individuals to be more susceptible to the disease. A type of open-angle glaucoma has been clearly linked to genetic abnormalities.

•Medical conditions: Many conditions may increase your risk of developing it which embraces diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart diseases.

•Other eye conditions: Severe eye injuries can induce increased eye pressure. Other eye conditions that could induce increased risk of it embrace eye tumors, eye inflammation, retinal detachment, and lens dislocation. Certain types of eye surgery also may trigger it.

•Prolonged corticosteroid usage: Use of corticosteroid medications, particularly eyedrops for a prolonged time may increase your risk of developing it.

Treatment:

•The main objective of the treatment is to lower the pressure in the eye. To deal with this condition doctors may lower your eye pressure, improve drainage of fluid in the yes or lower the amount of fluid produced in the eye.

•It cannot be cured and the damaged caused by the disease cannot be reversed.

•Early diagnosis accompanied by appropriate and quick treatment and regular checkups can help in preventing the vision loss.

•If vision loss has already occurred then treatment can slow or prevent further vision loss.

•The treatment frequently starts with medicated eyedrops and then oral medication if the eyedrops alone don't bring the eye pressure down.