Glaucoma
Glaucoma is the name for a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve is a main component in the back of the eye that is responsible for carrying information from the brain to the eye. When the nerve is damaged, you can lose your vision. In the beginning stages people with glaucoma lose peripheral, or side, vision. If the disease is not treated, vision loss may get worse and can lead to complete blindness over time. The onset of glaucoma can be attributed to any number of factors. In some patients, the condition developed after an injury to the eye and others have experience the development of glaucoma after eye surgery. Tumors are also known to be a significant factor for patients with glaucoma. In some cases, excess fluid can build up in the eye, placing pressure on the optic nerve, this usually occurs when the eye has not drain fluid well enough causing it build up inside the eye.
Two common types of glaucoma are open-angle glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma is considered to be more common than the latter. In this particular condition the optic nerve is gradually decaying piece by piece causing a slow but steady loss of sight. Closed-angle glaucoma accounts for only a fraction of cases in the U.S. and is a more serious condition that will require immediate medical attention. It is caused by increased pressure on the iris which then applies pressure on the drainage system causing malfunction. Too much fluid in the eye can result in a longer, more gradual decay of the optic nerve.
