Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases in which damage to the nerve located in the back of the eye (optic nerve) results in loss of eyesight. At first, side (peripheral) vision is lost. If glaucoma is not treated, vision loss may continue, leading to total blindness over time.
There are three basic types of glaucoma.
• Open-angle glaucoma (OAG) is the most common form of glaucoma in the United States. In open-angle glaucoma, the optic nerve is slowly damaged, usually causing gradual loss of vision. Both eyes can be affected at the same time, although one may be affected more than the other. Sometimes much of your eyesight can be affected before you notice a change.
• Closed-angle glaucoma (CAG) is less common, accounting for about 10% of all glaucoma cases in the United States. In closed-angle glaucoma, the colored part of the eye (iris) and the lens block the movement of fluid between the chambers of the eye, causing pressure to build up and the iris to press on the drainage system (trabecular meshwork) of the eye. (See an illustration of the iris and lens.) It may cause sudden blurred vision with pain and redness, usually in one eye first; symptoms may also include nausea and vomiting. A related type, acute closed-angle glaucoma, is often an emergency situation and needs immediate medical care to prevent permanent damage to the eye.
• Congenital glaucoma is a rare form of glaucoma that is present in some infants at birth. Glaucoma that develops during the first few years of life is called infantile glaucoma. Infants with congenital or infantile glaucoma usually have cloudy eyes that are sensitive to light and have excessive tearing. Symptoms may not develop until 6 months to 1 year after birth. If the problem is not detected early and treated, the child may have severe vision loss and may go blind. People between the age of 3 years and young adulthood can develop a similar type of glaucoma called juvenile glaucoma.
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