The optic nerve plays a vital role in transmitting signals from the eye to the brain, and glaucoma is one of the main types of chronic eye conditions that affects it. This condition mostly occurs in adults above the age of 40 years. The eye’s optic nerve is damaged due to high pressure within the eye, and it can also lead to permanent blindness if not treated early.

Symptoms of glaucoma
Open-angle glaucoma is the most common type, and the signs and symptoms of this main type of eye condition cannot be noticed at the early stages. It leads to gradual vision loss, and the effects are irreparable before any other signs are noticed. If glaucoma runs in your family, it is advisable to get regular eye check-ups done to monitor the condition of the optic nerve. Another type of the condition is angle-closure glaucoma, a severe condition that needs immediate medical attention. The symptoms of acute-angle glaucoma are severe pain, blurry vision, and nausea and vomiting.

Causes of glaucoma
Aqueous humor is a clear fluid that is consistently made at the back of the eye. It covers the front of the eye and flows out through channels present in the cornea and iris. When these channels are blocked, the Intraocular Pressure (IOP) in the eye, may increase and cause damage to the optic nerve. If left untreated, this condition can lead to permanent vision loss. The other rare causes of glaucoma are eye injury, a severe eye infection, and inflammation or blocked blood vessels. Most often, this condition is hereditary.

Risk factors of glaucoma
One of the main types of eye conditions, glaucoma has several risk factors:

• Age
  Individuals over the age of 40 are at higher risk
• Race
  African-Americans are more prone to developing glaucoma
• Hereditary
  Some types of the condition run in the family and are passed on through genes
• Other medical conditions
  Individuals suffering from diabetes, heart disease, sickle cell anemia, and high blood pressure are at a higher risk of developing glaucoma.
• Defective cornea
  The presence of thin corneas can result in increased pressure in the eye, leading to glaucoma

Treatment options
Glaucoma can be treated through medication and surgery depending upon the severity of the condition. The aim of treating this eye condition is to control and avoid further damage to the optic nerve. The following are the treatment options for this condition:

• Medications
  An ophthalmologist will prescribe eye drops or pills to decrease IOP, and the combination of medicines depends upon the severity of the condition.
• Surgery
  Surgery is done to reduce IOP by draining out the fluid or by helping it flow more freely.

For treating angle-closure glaucoma, immediate medical attention is required to decrease eye pressure. The first step of treatment involves medications to overturn angle closure. If this is unsuccessful, a procedure called laser peripheral iridotomy is done to create small holes in the iris to release any blocked fluids.