What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a condition that damages the eye's optic nerve. It gets worse over time and leads to vision loss if not treated. The damage from glaucoma often is linked to a buildup of pressure inside the eye.
Regular eye exams can help doctors find glaucoma (glau-KOH-muh) early and start treatment right away.
What Happens in Glaucoma?
Normally, a healthy eye makes clear fluid that slowly drains from the eye.
In a person with glaucoma, the eye usually either makes too much fluid too fast or the fluid drains away too slowly. This typically causes the pressure in the eye to increase, which can lead to optic nerve damage and vision problems.
What Problems Can Happen?
Glaucoma can make it hard for a person to see or may even cause total blindness. That's because the optic nerve is the main nerve that carries signals from the eye to the brain, allowing us to see.