GLAUCOMA SYMPTOMSGlaucoma is a silent thief of vision. But it doesn't have to steal YOUR vision. Dr. Carolina Valdivia discusses glaucoma symptoms that your ophthalmologist evaluates. People that are experiencing minor eye problems, such as itching, excessive tear production, or feeling a popping sensation when rubbing their eyes,  often come to my office with concerns that these might be glaucoma symptoms.To clear up any confusion, itching and tear production are more commonly caused by allergies or irritants in the atmosphere. The popping you feel sometimes when you rub your eyes is simply a normal redistribution of air in the eye socket. This example raises some interesting questions. What are the important symptoms of glaucoma? What does glaucoma feel like?
AM I DOOMED TO GO BLIND?In most cases, patients that I see in my office know little or nothing about symptoms of glaucoma. Among those that have heard about this disease, most believe that a glaucoma diagnosis means that they are doomed to go blind. Glaucoma can lead to blindness if it is left undetected or if patients fail to adhere to treatments prescribed by their ophthalmologist. But trust me. A glaucoma diagnosis does NOT have to lead to blindness in your particular case. With the proper treatment, you can control the progression of the disease. There is hope. It is very important that everyone understands this.
GLAUCOMA WORKS SECRETLY TO DESTROY VISIONMany serious diseases are associated with noticeable signs and symptoms. For example, a symptom of tuberculosis is a persistent cough with bloody sputum (mucous). Most people know that coughing up blood is very serious and usually visit a doctor to find out what is wrong. There are other diseases, such as lung cancer, that also have persistent cough with bloody phlegm (sputum) as a symptom. The average person cannot distinguish between tuberculosis and lung cancer, or other potential problems. It is your doctor's job to differentiate among the various possibilities, arrive at a specific diagnosis, and develop a treatment plan.
The example above is graphic to make a point. However, unlike tuberculosis and lung cancer, glaucoma symptoms usually are not noticeable by patients or signs of glaucoma appear at the latter stages of the disease. For this reason, it is crucial that you be screened regularly for signs of glaucoma every 3-5 years if you are under forty years of age, every 2-3 years if you are over forty years of age, and even more frequently if you are are a member of one or more of the risk groups for the disease. WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF GLAUCOMA?Glaucoma symptoms can be organized into three categories: those that a patient notices, those that your ophthalmologist measures, and eye problems that often are misunderstood as glaucoma symptoms. Glaucoma symptoms that you may notice (usually at advanced stages of the disease)
Glaucoma symptoms that your ophthalmologist measures. These represent symptoms of glaucoma that typically go unnoticed by patients, but that are measured by your ophthalmologist using various diagnostic tools.
Things that often are misunderstood by the public as glaucoma symptoms.
 What does intraocular pressure feel like?Elevated intraocular pressure is one of the major glaucoma symptoms. However, in most cases, people are unable to perceive changes in the pressure inside their eyes. This is because elevations in intraocular pressure tend to occur gradually, ranging from a period of several months to several years. The body adapts and the increased pressures are not perceived. Only your eye-care professional can detect elevations in intraocular pressure using a tonometry test. For this reason, it is important to see your eye-care professional regularly. There is a type of glaucoma called
primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG)
in which high pressures inside the eye are felt. This is because it increases rapidly, often resulting in intense pain. When this happens, it is a medical emergency.
No. This is why glaucoma is called a silent thief of vision. As I mention above, there are certain types of glaucoma where pain or discomfort is experienced. However, the location of the pain is not the optic nerve.
STRIVE TO BECOME A GLAUCOMA TREATMENT SUCCESS!Remember. Glaucoma is a stealth destroyer of vision. In many cases, there are no symptoms of glaucoma that are recognizable to individuals in their day-to-day lives. Instead, glaucoma silently and slowly causes damage to the optic nerve fibers until that damage becomes so severe that it causes vision loss. I understand that, like my patient, it is difficult to accept that you have a serious eye disease when your vision is good and you have no other obvious symptoms of glaucoma. But please recognize that this is precisely the reason why glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Make sure that you protect your vision. Visit your ophthalmologist regularly, especially if you are a member of one or more of the risk groups. Listen to your doctor if he or she diagnoses you with glaucoma. Express your doubts and concerns openly about signs of glaucoma, but also pay attention to what your doctor is saying. Most important, follow the treatment regimen that your doctor prescribes for you.
REFERENCES:Khaw PT, Shah P, and Elkington AR. ABC of Eyes, 4th Ed. London: BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, 2004:52-59. Tsai JC, Denniston AKO, Murray PI, Huang JJ and Aldad TS. Oxford American Handbook of Ophthalmology. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011: 261-312
A number of visitors have written to me asking for recommendations pertaining to eye-care products and books for obtaining more information about glaucoma symptoms and other aspects of the disease. I have joined with Amazon.com to create a dependable resource for books and products. You can find these materials at the Eye-Care Store. Return from Glaucoma Symptoms to Glaucoma Information
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