Share:

Glaucoma doesn’t always have any symptoms.  Symptoms, such as acute eye pain,  usually only occur in one form of glaucoma called acute angle-closure glaucoma.  In  this condition, fluid within the eye fails to drain and gathers in the space between the iris and cornea. Symptomless open-eye glaucoma is much more common, affecting over 2.7 million Americans over the age of 40. Only an eye doctor can detect open-eye glaucoma before it starts to damage the eyesight. Watch out for these symptoms of open and angle-closure glaucoma at home to protect your eyesight.

 Seeing Halos or Colored Lights

Sudden increased eye pressure can cause the appearance of rainbow colored halos around lights. Spots in your visual field, called “floaters,” are caused by little clumps of gel; on occasion floaters can mean the eye is failing to drain, as in angle-closure glaucoma.

 Blurred Vision or Loss of Side Vision

Fluid buildup around the eye or improper balance of fluid can impair your vision. This increase in pressure can damage the optic nerve causing loss of vision, affecting the peripheral, or side, vision first.  If you ever notice your eyesight begin to blur or diminish, you should always see an eye doctor, no matter your risk factor for glaucoma. 

 

 Eye Pain

Eye pain occurs when the accumulation of fluid pushes the iris and cornea together and blocks the drainage structures of the eye. This closure can occur rapidly or gradually. The former is called an “acute attack” and leads to intense, sudden eye pain that can result in vision loss. Uncontrolled and sudden increases in pressure are particular to advanced-stage open-angle glaucoma.

Early detection through any of these symptoms is critical to their prevention.

 

If you’ve noticed any of these symptoms, see the eye doctors at Tri-State Eye. They serve the entire tri-state area, Orange County, Pike County, and the Hudson Valley. Protect your eyesight by calling their Milford location at (570) 296-9696 or their Middletown location at (845) 703-2020. For more information, visit their website.

tracking