Glaucoma

The word glaucoma covers a group of eye conditions that cause optic nerve damage, which can affect vision. In the UK, about 1 in 50 people aged over 40 have the condition.
Centre for Sight consultant Marcela Espinosa-Lagana during a consultation with a patient

What is Glaucoma?

As mentioned above, glaucoma is the name given to a group of eye conditions that cause optic nerve damage, which can affect vision. It is a progressive disease of the eye that if left untreated can eventually lead to blindness.

A huge risk factor for the condition is increased eye pressure, which occurs when fluid in the eye accumulates and cannot drain naturally. Over time the trapped fluid builds up, causing pressure in the eye, which can damage the optic nerve and destroy vision. Watch the video below for more information.

What Causes Glaucoma?

Optic nerve damage may be caused by raised eye pressure or a weakness in the structure surrounding the optic nerve. Our eye pressures may be within normal limits but damage occurs because there is a weakness in the optic nerve which in turn affects blood flow to the nerve.

The condition is believed to be a genetic disease and may not appear until later in life. It can also be caused by a severe eye infection, a blunt eye injury or trauma, inflammatory eye conditions, or blockage of the eye’s blood vessels.

How is Glaucoma Diagnosed?

Since Glaucoma comes with few warning signs, regular eye exams are important for detecting it early enough to allow successful treatment. A thorough consultation is required if there is any suspicion that you might have the condition. The examination involves a test to measure eye pressure as well as evaluation of the optic nerve, to see if there’s any sign of damage.

A visual field test may also be conducted to determine if there is any damage, such as vision loss or blind spots in the field of vision. Book a consultation with our expert team to see what we can do for you.

stock image of middle aged man putting eye drops into his eyes to treat dry eye symptoms

How is Glaucoma Treated?

Drops are usually the first line of treatment. If the intraocular pressure can’t be reduced to an appropriate level, further drops may be added. There are also multiple laser treatments that may be used. When medical and laser treatments fail then surgery may be required. One type is Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS), which has the advantage of being minimally invasive with minimal complications.

Glaucoma FAQs

Which tests are used to diagnose glaucoma?

Specific investigations are performed and includes a Visual field Test and an Ocular Coherence Tomographic (OCT) evaluation of the Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer (RNFL). The visual field test is checked on a sophisticated machine that using patient feedback measures the peripheral vision. Subtle changes can be picked up and monitored over time.

A RNFL OCT measures the thickness of the nerve fibre layer surrounding the optic disc. Nerve damage results in loss of nerve fibre layer thickness. Again the areas of damage which often match up with the visual field can be documented and followed over time.

Who is most at risk?

Glaucoma is believed to be a genetic disease and may not appear until later in life. As it usually appears later in life, your risk increases as you age. In the UK, it’s thought that about 1 in 50 people aged over 40 has the condition.

Why are regular eye exams important?

Since glaucoma comes with few warning signs, regular eye exams are important for detecting it early enough to allow successful treatment.

How is glaucoma managed?

After diagnosis, treatments include eye drops, laser eye treatments and surgery. For more information, check out our treatment page.