Symptoms
Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs. The effect is so gradual that you may not notice a change in vision until the condition is at an advanced stage.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases in which the normal fluid pressure inside the eye slowly rises. Clear fluid flows in and out of the anterior chamber— the small space at the front of the eye. If this fluid drains too slowly, the optic nerve can be damaged. The building of pressure from fluids can lead to vision loss and, sometimes, blindness. While it can occur at any age, glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60.
Treatment
There are now a number of excellent therapies to treat glaucoma and slow down the loss of vision. Treatments may include medication, eye drops, laser surgery and surgical treatment. Although there is no cure for this disease, early detection, treatment and close monitoring can prevent vision loss. Since patients often do not have any symptoms of Glaucoma, it is important to have regular eye exams that include measurements of your eye pressure so a diagnosis can be made in its early stages and treatment can begin immediately. Generally, if you have glaucoma you will need treatment for the rest of your life.