Glaucoma is a type of disease in which the pressure in the eye is too high due to abnormally high pressure in the eye – the optic nerve is compressed, causing damage to the optic nerve. However, patients with high intraocular pressure are not necessarily glaucoma. Some glaucoma patients have low intraocular pressure.
Signs
If you have the following four common symptoms, be on your guard and seek medical advice as soon as you can.
- Hard eyeball (caused by high intraocular pressure)
- Headache, nausea and vomiting
- Blurry vision
- Visual field defect (i.e. blind spots in your vision, which makes you bump into things around you frequently)
- Rainbow-coloured halos around lights
Managing Glaucoma
While glaucoma cannot be prevented, there are measures you can take to prevent vision loss and blindness from glaucoma.
- Check yourself for signs of glaucoma
While glaucoma cannot be detected, you may notice signs such as loss of peripheral or side vision.
- Exercise
Exercise is known to lower intraocular pressure and increase ocular blood flow – this makes it potentially benefical for glaucoma management.
- Get regular eye examinations
Regular eye exams can help to detect glaucoma in its early stages, so that your doctor can help you manage it before significant damage occurs. The elderly should go for check-ups at least once a year.
- Avoid overwork
When the body is overworked, intraocular pressure can fluctuate.
- Keep a good mood
Mental stimulation can easily increase intraocular pressure.
- Understand your family’s eye health history
