Question 1

what are some precautions to be taken for glaucoma?

Accepted Answer

Use meds: Use the eye drops regularly to prevent further optic nerve damage. Good general health preservation is good in any disease. If you have closable angles be very careful not to take any meds such as antihistamines that could dilate the pupils also make sure no one dilates your eyes at the eye doctors office by mistake.

Question 2

diagnosed with cataracts and glaucoma. since glaucoma and diabetes have similar symptoms, should i be checked for diabetes as a precaution?

Accepted Answer

Maybe: Cataracts and glaucoma occur more frequently in diabetics than non-diabetics.  It would be unusual for your primary care doctor not to find diabetes during a routine checkup.  If this has not been done recently, go for it, and mention your diabetes concern to the doctor.  A simple blood test can tell you the answer.

Question 3

is glaucoma painful?

Accepted Answer

Glaucoma: A form of glaucoma called acute angle closure glaucoma can cause an abrupt rise in eye pressure that can be very painful.

Question 4

how is glaucoma diagnosed?

Accepted Answer

Eye exams: Glaucoma is damage to the optic nerve caused by eye pressures that are too high for the particular eye.  It is diagnosed by the eye doctor seeing the optic nerve having a special appearance, and then a test called a visual field test shows loss of vision in the outer part of the field.  
That is why we all should get eye exams starting at about 40 years of age.

Question 5

what exactly is acute glaucoma?

Accepted Answer

Fluid block in eye: The eye has an internal clear fluid circulation 24/7.  This is called the aqueous humor.  The iris in certain shaped eyes (usually farsighted) can obstruct the outflow and within 1/2 hour the pressure can skyrocket to dangerous levels.  This is an emergency, can be stopped with certain drugs and prevented with laser.  See your ophthalmologist immediately if you suspect this condition.

Question 6

glaucoma testing for juveniles?

Accepted Answer

Would be geat: There would be a low 'yield' unless you test only those  with family history.

Question 7

what are the stages of glaucoma?

Accepted Answer

Spectrum: It can be divided into pre-perimetric disease (before anything shows up on visual field testing), and perimetry disease (once you have visual field abnormalities), and at that point glaucoma can be divided into mild, moderate, and severe based on how abnormal the field is.  Usually it's end stage when central vision is also diminished.

Question 8

what are the symptoms of glaucoma?

Accepted Answer

Variable symptoms: In open angle glaucoma the only signs are gradually progressive visual field loss, and optic nerve changes.  In close angle glaucoma, there is sudden ocular pain, seeing halos around lights, red eye, very high intraocular pressure, nausea and vomiting, sudden decreased vision, and a fixed, mid-dilated pupil. Acute angle closure is an ocular emergency.

Question 9

what tests are there for glaucoma?

Accepted Answer

Many: Many tests are done related to glaucoma.  There are functional tests like visual fields, observational tests like optic nerve stereo-photos, measurement tests, like OCT's or nerve fiber analyzer's.  Your ophthalmologist will determine which tests you need and how often.

Question 10

is there an "opposite" of glaucoma?

Accepted Answer

In a way, yes!: If the pressure of the eye is too low, the opposite of glaucoma where it is too high, damage and loss of sight may be associated. If the pressure drops due to injury, say, then the low pressure is an effect of the loss of function rather than being the cause of the loss of function. This is called phthisis  bulbi (pronounced "ty-sis bulb-eye". Hopefully i made the difference clear!

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Doctor answers about:

Precautions for glaucoma

A member asked:

What are some precautions to be taken for glaucoma?

A member asked:

Diagnosed with cataracts and glaucoma. since glaucoma and diabetes have similar symptoms, should i be checked for diabetes as a precaution?

A member asked:

Is glaucoma painful?

A member asked:

How is glaucoma diagnosed?

A member asked:

What exactly is acute glaucoma?

A member asked:

Glaucoma testing for juveniles?

A member asked:

What are the stages of glaucoma?

A member asked:

What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

A member asked:

What tests are there for glaucoma?

A member asked:

Is there an "opposite" of glaucoma?

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