A clear starting point
Overview
Glaucoma is a group of conditions that damage the optic nerve, usually related to eye pressure. It typically causes no symptoms until significant peripheral vision is lost — earning it the name "silent thief of sight". Vision lost to glaucoma cannot be recovered, but early detection and treatment can usually slow or halt further damage.
What you may notice
Symptoms & Warning Signs
- Usually none in early stages
- Gradual loss of side (peripheral) vision
- Halos around lights
- In acute angle-closure: severe eye pain, headache, nausea, sudden blur
Understanding the cause
Possible Causes
Impaired drainage of eye fluid raises intraocular pressure, stressing the optic nerve. Risk rises with age, family history, high myopia, diabetes, steroid use and eye injury.
When to seek care
When to Consult an Eye Specialist
Adults over 40, those with a family history of glaucoma, diabetics and long-term steroid users should be screened periodically. Sudden painful red eye with blurred vision is an emergency.
Your evaluation
Diagnostic Process
Your specialist will recommend assessment based on your symptoms and eye health. This may include:
- Intraocular pressure measurement (tonometry)
- Optic nerve head examination after dilatation
- OCT of the retinal nerve fibre layer
- Computerised visual field testing (perimetry)
- Gonioscopy to assess the drainage angle
- Corneal thickness measurement
Care is individual
Management & Treatment Approaches
The appropriate approach depends on the findings of your evaluation. Options may include:
- Pressure-lowering eye drops, taken consistently
- Laser procedures (SLT, iridotomy) where appropriate
- Glaucoma surgery (e.g., trabeculectomy, drainage devices) for uncontrolled cases
- Lifelong monitoring of pressure, fields and nerve structure
Preparing for a visit
What to Expect
Screening is quick and painless. If glaucoma is confirmed, your doctor will set a target pressure and a follow-up schedule — treatment is a long-term partnership.
Balanced information
Risks & Limitations
Eye drops can cause redness, irritation or other side effects; procedures carry their own risk profiles. Without treatment, glaucoma can lead to irreversible blindness.
After treatment
Recovery & Follow-up
Medical therapy requires daily consistency rather than recovery time. After laser or surgery, activity is usually resumed within days with prescribed drops.
Answers to common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Medical disclaimer: This page is general educational information, not a diagnosis or a guarantee of any outcome. Treatment decisions are made only after an in-person evaluation by a qualified eye specialist.