A group of diseases that ultimately lead to the damage of the optic nerves in the eyes, eventually causing permanent blindness and vision loss, is termed as glaucoma. In the country, it is one of the leading causes of blindness. African Americans above the age of 40 and Hispanics above the age of 60, and people having a family history of this disease are more prone to glaucoma attacks.

When the pressure in the eyes is elevated, it begins to damage the optic nerves, which can lead to permanent blindness.

The optic nerves are responsible for transferring all the visual information from the eyes to the brain. The cranial nerves are composed of extensions of retinal ganglion cells. When pressure is elevated in the eyes, the ganglion cells begin to die and the nerve cells begin to degenerate, leading to permanent blindness.

Causes of Glaucoma
There are different types of this disease and the causes for each are slightly different. However, the prime cause remains the same, i.e., an elevated fluid pressure in the eyes.

• Inefficient Drainage System in the Eyes
  With age, the drainage system in the eyes tends to lose its potential. As a result, fluids build up in the eyes, thereby elevating the pressure.
• Blockage in the Drainage Angle
  The drainage angle is formed between the iris and the cornea. With age, the lens becomes larger, thereby pushing the iris and narrowing the angle while the fluid gets trapped thereby elevating the pressure again.
• Underlying Diseases
  Physical injuries, abnormalities in the eyes, and taking certain medications are some causes that are responsible for developing this disease. Even after undergoing eye surgeries, the chances of developing glaucoma become much higher.
• Reduced Blood Supply to the Nerves
  A medical condition where the arteries supplying blood to the optic nerves become hardened, thereby reducing the blood supply to the nerves. Although it does not elevate the fluid pressure in the eyes, it damages the optic nerves due to which the probability of being affected by this disease becomes much higher.

Symptoms of Glaucoma
Often referred to as the “silent thief of sight,” most of the types of glaucoma produce no warning signs. No pain or abnormalities can be noticed in the initial stages. By that time, obvious changes are felt, the disease has already progressed into such a stage where it can cause irreversible vision damage and further damage also become very difficult to prevent. Blurry vision, intense pain in the eyes, noticing halos around luminary objects, and extreme nausea and vomiting can be some symptoms when the patient is affected by acute glaucoma.

Treatment of Glaucoma
Treatment depends on the severity of the disease and is mainly focused on reducing the pressure in the eyes. Eye drops and certain medications are often prescribed by doctors as the first step of treating glaucoma. Continuing these medicines as required can improve eyesight. Laser and conventional surgeries are recommended when medicines alone fail to treat this disease. These surgeries involve using a laser beam to stimulate the structures in the eyes to drain the fluids, or making a drainage flap in the eyes to percolate the fluid into that flap which is later drained out into the vascular system.