Glaucoma Awareness Month

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. Glaucoma isn’t just one single condition: it is actually a group of diseases, all of which affect the optic nerve. Glaucoma is at the top of the list of our 2025 awareness days for good reason. Worldwide, it’s the second leading cause of blindness. Read on as a Redding CA optometrist goes over some basic FAQS about glaucoma.

What Is Glaucoma?

As mentioned above, glaucoma affects the optic nerve. The term ‘nerve’ is almost a misnomer here, as that optic nerve is actually a bundle of roughly a million individual nerve fibers. Their function, as one can imagine, is to carry information back and forth between the eyes and brain, helping your brain process the visual information your eyes pick up.

Glaucoma happens when there is a buildup of fluid pressure inside the eye. This damages the optic nerve, which can eventually lead to the death of those nerve fibers. Unfortunately, that damage is a one-way street. If enough nerve fibers die, blindness is often the result.

How Common Is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma affects about 3 million Americans. Worldwide, roughly about 80 million people have it. That number is only going up: that figure is expected to increase to about 11 million by 2040.

The number of those who have been blinded by glaucoma is also increasing. In 2010, it was about 8.4 million. Estimates show that it will be about 22 million by 2040.

What Are The Risk Factors For Glaucoma?

Many different factors can come into play here. Genetics is a big one. Glaucoma is particularly prevalent in Black people, particularly those aged 40 and older. Those of Asian, Japanese, and/or Native Alaskan descent are also at higher risk. 

Anyone over 60 is also at increased risk, as is anyone with a family history of glaucoma. Other medical issues that may increase the chances include issues such as retinal detachment, eye tumors, and eye inflammation. Thin corneas are a factor as well. 

Another thing that increases the risk is diabetes.  In fact, diabetics are twice as likely to develop the disease as non-diabetics. Diabetes isn’t the only medical condition that increases the risk, though. Several others, such as high blood pressure and heart disease, can also do it.

Injuries, unsurprisingly, also come into play. Trauma can increase eye pressure quite quickly. 

How Many Kinds Of Glaucoma Are There? 

Glaucoma, as mentioned above, is actually an umbrella term for several conditions. That said, there are four prevalent types. 

Open-Angle Glaucoma: Open-angle glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma here in the States. It is not linked to any one specific cause. Even more concerning: it’s typically asymptomatic at first, and develops slowly. Usually, the first signs that people notice will be a loss of vision at the sides of their visual field. Tunnel vision is also not uncommon. It does tend to run in families.

Angle-Closure Glaucoma: Angle-closure glaucoma, which is sometimes called closed-angle glaucoma, often develops very suddenly, as a response to fluid buildup. It is often triggered by things such as medication. Symptoms include red eyes, blurred vision, and eye pain. It can happen in either eye, but it’s important to note that getting it in one eye increases the risk of subsequently getting it into the other.

Secondary Glaucoma: Unlike the other types of glaucoma, secondary glaucoma happens when glaucoma develops as a complication or side effect of something else. Some of the potential triggers include certain medications, eye diseases, injuries, and other health issues. Diabetes-related glaucoma is considered secondary glaucoma. Because there are so many possible catalysts, symptoms ultimately depend on the cause.

Congenital Glaucoma: Medical issues that are termed congenital are present at birth. This type of glaucoma usually runs in families, and is associated with problems in the eye’s development. Symptoms often become apparent when an infant is just a few months old. Some of these include light sensitivity, excessive tearing, clouding, and enlargement of one or both eyes.

Normal-Tension Glaucoma: With this specific type of glaucoma, the eye pressure is in the healthy range. The optic nerve damage comes from other, often unknown, reasons. Sometimes it’s that the nerve is particularly sensitive. Another common cause is atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries which reduces blood flow to the eye. 

Ask your Redding CA  eye doctor for more information on the various types of glaucoma. 

How Do You Prevent Glaucoma?

Because there are so many possible causes for glaucoma, there is no way to completely prevent it. However, there are things you can do to reduce the risk of developing it.

As one may expect, one of the best things you can do is just focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Eat well, stay active, and avoid (or at limit) bad habits like drinking and smoking. These choices aren’t just good for your eye health: they affect your entire body and every organ and system in it. Plus, they can help prevent or reduce the risk of developing many diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes.

Aside from that, be sure to visit your Redding CA optometrist regularly for recommended tests and screenings. 

Why Is Glaucoma So Dangerous?

Glaucoma isn’t uncommon, but it is unique in a few ways. One reason it is so concerning is that the damage to that optic nerve is generally permanent. While there are treatments for glaucoma, there is no way to cure or reverse it. Vision loss that develops as a result of glaucoma is typically permanent. Unfortunately, glaucoma is something of a silent killer. Many people don’t know they have it until their vision has been significantly affected. That’s why it’s so important to reach out to your eye doctor as soon as you notice anything amiss.

How Is Glaucoma Treated?

While there is no cure for glaucoma, it can be treated. The main focus here is typically to reduce pressure in the eye. 

Here are a few of the possible options:

Prescription Eye Drops: This is often the first line of defense in the fight against glaucoma. Only use eye drops that have been specifically prescribed by your eye doctor.

Medication: Glaucoma medications are generally aimed at lowering pressure in the eye. Your eye doctor may prescribe one specific medication or a combination of different ones.

Laser Treatment: The precision that laser treatments and therapies offer is on full display here. Modern treatments allow for extremely close and detailed procedures involving lasers. The laser may be used to make a drainage flap, insert a drainage valve, or, in some cases, destroy tissue that is causing fluid buildup.

Surgery: Surgery is another option. Some patients require a trabeculectomy, which is a microsurgery that creates a better drainage structure in the eye.

Implants: Drainage implants are another option, and are sometimes the best treatment for those with secondary glaucoma. It’s also sometimes recommended for children who have glaucoma.

Of course, treatment options vary based on the individual diagnosis. Your eye doctor will be able to discuss options after you have been thoroughly evaluated.

Make An Appointment With Dr. Michael Young, O.D

Has it been a while since you had your vision checked? Are you looking for a great optometrist? Please do not hesitate to contact us, we are here to help!