‘Thief of sight’ – the eye disease that can't be prevented
Early detection of glaucoma is the key, and here are the signs to look for.
Key Points
- 300,000 Australians have glaucoma and half of those are undiagnosed.
- Early detection is important as the disease is gradual and can cause irreparable damage.
- Treatment includes eye drops, medication, laser surgery.
It’s not for nothing that glaucoma is called “the thief of sight”. The deterioration in vision is very gradual and not noticeable but it can do a lot of damage before it’s diagnosed – and middle-aged to older Australians are most at risk.
It’s a disease that damages the optic nerve, which links the eye to the brain, causing tunnel vision and even blindness. The good news is it glaucoma can be treated, and the earlier it’s detected the better the chances of successful treatment.
It’s estimated that 300,000 Australians have the disease and half of them are undiagnosed.
Are you at risk?
You are at higher risk if you:
Have a close relative with glaucoma.
Have high eye pressure.
Are over 50.
Are short-sighted or long-sighted.
Use (or have used) cortisone (steroid) medications for long periods.
Have diabetes or have high or low blood pressure.
Have migraine headaches.
Have had an eye operation or eye injury.
There are different types of glaucoma, including one that requires urgent attention.
- Primary open angle glaucoma: you may have no symptoms, or you may lose peripheral vision at first. You might not notice this until there is significant optic nerve damage.
- Chronic angle-closure glaucoma: you sometimes get vision problems, such as a halo-like image around lights, or you may have no symptoms.
- Acute angle-closure glaucoma: sudden, severe eye pain with nausea and vomiting, headache, watery eyes, blurred vision,
and halos around bright lights. Acute angle-closure glaucoma is an emergency and you should seek treatment immediately to prevent further damage and possible complete loss of vision. Go to your nearest emergency department or call triple zero (000) immediately and ask for an ambulance.
Use the eye and vision problems Symptom Checker to find out if you need to seek medical help.
Visit your GP or optometrist in the first instance. They may refer you to an ophthalmologist (specialist eye doctor) to examine the nerve fibres and structure of the eye drainage network, test the field of vision, and measure the eye pressure. This examination will take 20 to 45 minutes.
Healthdirect advises that if you are of African or Asian descent, these regular examinations should start at the age of 40. Otherwise, you should start them at 50.
We don’t clearly understand why glaucoma happens. Sometimes, the pressure of the fluid inside the eye rises, and the fluid presses hard on the optic nerve, damaging it. However, glaucoma can occur even when the fluid pressure in the eye is normal.
Treatment includes eye drops, medication, laser surgery and other procedures to lower the pressure inside the eye.
Any loss of eyesight is irreversible, but early detection through regular eye tests and treatment can make all the difference in slowing the progression of the disease.
Glaucoma surgery is usually an outpatient or day procedure. You might have a local anaesthetic, such as eye drops, or a general anaesthetic.
Related articles: BUPAOptical, Health Direct
