Is Glaucoma Painful?

Glaucoma is a condition that primarily affects adults over 40, even though it can technically occur at any age. If you’re wondering if the condition is painful, we’ll look at the different types of glaucoma and how its symptoms present.

Glaucoma and Pain

Glaucoma in Elkridge can be painful, but depending on the type of glaucoma you have, it may not present with any symptoms at all. For example, open-angle glaucoma, a partial blockage in the eye, will cause a gradual pressure buildup over time. Angle-closure glaucoma is a complete blockage and, while rare, can result in very severe pain and nausea.

What to Know About Glaucoma in Elkridge

Glaucoma often starts with blind spots in your visual field, due to the general pressure of fluids and its impact on the nerves of your eye. The biggest problem with glaucoma is that it’s fairly easy to ignore for a while, which can end up putting your vision at risk. It’s important to pay attention to small changes in your vision, because they may represent a larger disorder happening just under the surface.

Even though glaucoma is a relatively common disorder, doctors still don’t know very much about its more complex mysteries. The best they can do is measure your eye pressure, ideally over the course of annual visits, to determine how your eye changes over time. While there is no official way to prevent it, you may decrease your odds of getting it if you lead a healthier lifestyle. This may mean anything from infusing more nutrients into your diet, quitting smoking, and getting more exercise.

Is There a Cure for Glaucoma?

There is no known cure for glaucoma, even though there are surgical and medication treatments that can help you drain the fluids from your eyes. An eye doctor in Elkridge, MD will likely want to regularly monitor your condition, so they’re able to intervene before your visual health is at risk. The good news is that if you have open-angle glaucoma, it’s likely to progress very slowly, which makes it unlikely that you’ll experience a drastic loss in vision — especially if you have the right eye doctor to treat it.