Types of Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye condition that causes damage to the optic nerve which is vital for a healthy and clear vision. Usually caused by abnormally high pressure in your eye, Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness among senior citizens.

Although Glaucoma is more common among people above 60 years of age, it can occur at any age. That’s why it is important to get your eyes examined regularly using measurements that record eye pressure to enable early diagnosis and proper treatment. At the Best Hospital in Goa, our team of some of the most experienced Ophthalmologists is fully equipped to treat not only Glaucoma but also any eye-related problems. Our team of skilled support staff and qualified doctors take care of any Medical Emergencies 24x7, day and night.

Glaucoma has many forms and a major of them have no warning signs. The progression can be seen so gradually that very often people may not notice the vision until it reached an advanced stage.  But before we go ahead in the treatment let us understand the different types of Glaucoma and the symptoms depending on the stage of the condition.

·         Open-angle Glaucoma - Open-angle Glaucoma is one of the most common forms of the disease. In this type, the drainage angle formed by the cornea and iris remains open, while the trabecular meshwork of the eye is partially blocked. This type of Glaucoma is caused due to excessive pressure building up in the eyes which tend to damage the optic nerve that affects the vision and can eventually lead to blindness.

·         Normal-tension Glaucoma – Similar to Open-angle Glaucoma, low-tension or normal-pressure glaucoma occurs when the optic nerve is damaged. Although the cause of this is unknown, the nerve tends to get damaged even though the eye pressure is not very high.

·         Angle-closure glaucoma – Angle-closure glaucoma is a less common form of glaucoma and is caused by the blocked drainage canals that result in a sudden rise in intraocular pressure. This form of glaucoma has a closed or a very narrow-angle between the cornea and the iris and develops very quickly causing damage to the eye that is very noticeable. Angle-closure glaucoma also known as acute or narrow-angle glaucoma, unlike the other forms of glaucoma is a result of the angle between the iris and cornea closing

·         Congenital Glaucoma – This form of Glaucoma occurs in babies when there is an incomplete development of the eye’s drainage canals during the prenatal period. A very rare condition that may be inherited, congenital glaucoma can be often corrected by uncomplicated microsurgery.

Sometimes glaucoma can also be caused by medical conditions and these are usually called secondary glaucoma. Some of them are mentioned below.

1.       Neovascular glaucoma usually occurs when extra blood vessels cover the part of your eye where fluid would normally drain. This is usually caused by medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

2.       Pigmentary glaucoma is a type of glaucoma wherein the pigment from your iris flakes off and blocks the fluid from draining out from your eye. People with this type of glaucoma have blurry vision or can see the rainbow-colored ring around lights especially post-exercise.

3.       Exfoliation glaucoma also known as pseudoexfoliation is a type of open-angle glaucoma that occurs among people with exfoliation syndrome, a medical condition that cause extra deposits on the eye and blocks fluid from draining out.  Exfoliating glaucoma might be genetic and progresses faster than the primary open-angle glaucoma.

Health conditions like cataracts and tumors can also cause glaucoma that’s why it is important to get your eyes checked regularly. At the Multi-Speciality Hospital in Goa, we treat all kinds of eye-related diseases. With our qualified medical staff and well-equipped Casualty and Emergency Department in South Goa, we are able to take care of all your emergency needs. For more information about our facilities and services call +91-832-6691919 or visit www.smrcgoa.org