Glaucoma is one of the many eye conditions that cause damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve is responsible for carrying information from the retina to the brain. So, a person who develops glaucoma may experience problems with their eyesight. Glaucoma is a dangerous condition as it does not lead to any visible symptoms in the early stages. By the time a person notices problems with their vision, the disease might have progressed and led to damage to the eye. Sometimes, people do not notice the symptoms of this condition until they experience irreversible vision loss. At such a stage, it is hard to stop the further loss of vision.

People often associate glaucoma with blindness. Although there is a link between the two, it is essential to understand that loss of vision is a long-term consequence of glaucoma that occurs when a patient does not receive timely treatment. If the disease progresses to a severe stage, it can lead to irreversible vision loss.

When a person is affected by glaucoma, there is higher than normal pressure inside the eye. This condition is known as ocular hypertension. This increase in pressure above the normal levels cause damage and weaken the optic nerve. If the condition is left untreated or uncontrolled at this stage, glaucoma can lead to peripheral vision loss and eventually cause blindness.

Is glaucoma a common condition?
Glaucoma is a common condition. According to reports from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, it affects around 2.2 million people in the country, and this figure is expected to increase to around 3.3 million people by 2020. According to global estimates, glaucoma affects more than 64.3 million people, and that number set to rise to about 76 million by 2020. Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the country, second only to muscular degeneration. It is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, next to cataracts.

Types of glaucoma
Glaucoma can be broadly categorized into four main types. They are:

• Chronic glaucoma: This condition is also called open-angle glaucoma. It develops slowly over the course of several years and occurs due to the aging of the drainage channels that are responsible for the drainage of aqueous fluid.
• Acute glaucoma: This form of glaucoma occurs suddenly and can cause complete blockage of the drainage system of the eye.
• Secondary glaucoma: Under this condition, the rise in the eye pressure is caused by another underlying condition because of which it is known as secondary glaucoma.
• Developmental or congenital glaucoma: This is a rare but serious condition that affects babies due to malformations of the eyes.

It is imperative to diagnose glaucoma at the earliest through screening and tests to get timely treatment.