Health and Me

Ishita Srivastava

The Hidden Glaucoma Warning Signs Every Middle-Aged Adult Should Know

<span><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/glaucoma">Glaucoma</a></span> is an umbrella term for a group of eye diseases that create pressure inside your eyeball, which can damage delicate, critical parts at the back of your eye, including the optic nerve. 

While most of the diseases are progressive, meaning they gradually get worse and eventually cause permanent <span>vision loss</span> and <span>blindness</span>. In fact, glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness worldwide and is the leading cause of blindness for people over 60 years old.

Dr Niteen Dedhia, Medical Director, Ojas Maxivision Eye Hospital tells <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/health/early-warning-signs-glaucoma-adults-over-40-eye-health-126011400869_1.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" rel= "noopener nofollow noreferrer" target= "_blank">Business Standard</a>: "Glaucoma slowly and quietly causes damage to the optic nerve. Changes in eye pressure, blood flow and nerve fibres occur over time, while the brain often compensates for the loss. 

"As a result, symptoms go unnoticed, and by the time vision loss becomes apparent, the damage is usually permanent."

Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs and the effect is extremely gradual, to the point that you may not notice a change in vision until the condition is in its late stages.

<strong>Here are some symptoms that mid-age people need to keep an eye out for: </strong>

<h2>1. Gradual loss of circumferential vision</h2>

 One of the earliest symptoms of glaucoma is damage and subsequent loss of peripheral vision. Dr Dedhia noted: “Glaucoma starts by damaging the peripheral vision but doesn’t affect the centre (front) vision."

If you seem to struggle with spotting objects approaching from the side or bump into things more often, you may be experiencing early stages of the disease and not merely experiencing normal ageing.

<h2>2. Difficulty seeing or reading in the dark or low light settings</h2>Difficulty adjusting to darkness, discomfort in dimly lit spaces or having trouble navigating at night can be early warning signs may point to reduced contrast sensitivity linked to glaucoma rather than simple eye strain.

<h2>3. Frequent changes in eye power</h2>

 <span>Dr Neeraj Sanduja</span>, Ophthalmologist, Eye Surgeon at Viaan Eye Centre, Gurgaon told the publication: "Needing frequent prescription changes or feeling that glasses 'never feel quite right' may reflect subtle visual field changes caused by glaucoma rather than simple refractive error progression."

<h2>4. Eye pressure or unusual discomfort</h2>

 Open-angle glaucoma, the most common form of the condition that causes patchy blind spots in your side vision, is often painless or limited to a mild sense of pressure or heaviness in the eyes.

Those suffering from open-angle glaucoma may notice a dull ache after prolonged screen time or reading that improves with rest. Frequently mistaken as regular eye strain, it is often ignored, however, may indicate subtle increases in eye pressure that require professional evaluation.

<h2>5. Frequent headaches with eye strain</h2>

Frequent headaches, especially when accompanied by eye strain or blurred vision, should not be ignored as migraine pain as it may signal rising eye pressure or early glaucoma changes, Dr Dedhia warns. 

Certain groups of people have a higher than normal risk of getting glaucoma which includes those who: 

<ul><li>have high eye pressure</li><li>are farsighted or nearsighted</li><li>have had an eye injury</li><li>use long-term steroid medications</li><li>have corneas that are thin in the center</li><li>have thinning of the optic nerve</li><li>have diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure, poor blood circulation or other health problems affecting the whole body</li><li>are over age 40</li><li>have family members with glaucoma</li><li>are of African, Hispanic, or Asian heritage</li></ul>

Health Conditions A-Z

health

Glaucoma

vision loss

eye disease

eye health

Dr Neeraj Sanduja

blindness

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Glaucoma is an umbrella term for a group of eye diseases that create pressure inside your eyeball, which can damage delicate, critical parts at the back of your eye, including the optic nerve. While most of the diseases are progressive, meaning they gradually get worse and eventually cause permanent vision loss and blindness. In fact, glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness worldwide and is the leading cause of blindness for people over 60 years old.Dr Niteen Dedhia, Medical Director, Ojas Maxivision Eye Hospital tells Business Standard: "Glaucoma slowly and quietly causes damage to the optic nerve. Changes in eye pressure, blood flow and nerve fibres occur over time, while the brain often compensates for the loss. "As a result, symptoms go unnoticed, and by the time vision loss becomes apparent, the damage is usually permanent."Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs and the effect is extremely gradual, to the point that you may not notice a change in vision until the condition is in its late stages.Here are some symptoms that mid-age people need to keep an eye out for: 1. Gradual loss of circumferential vision One of the earliest symptoms of glaucoma is damage and subsequent loss of peripheral vision. Dr Dedhia noted: “Glaucoma starts by damaging the peripheral vision but doesn’t affect the centre (front) vision." If you seem to struggle with spotting objects approaching from the side or bump into things more often, you may be experiencing early stages of the disease and not merely experiencing normal ageing.2. Difficulty seeing or reading in the dark or low light settingsDifficulty adjusting to darkness, discomfort in dimly lit spaces or having trouble navigating at night can be early warning signs may point to reduced contrast sensitivity linked to glaucoma rather than simple eye strain.3. Frequent changes in eye power Dr Neeraj Sanduja, Ophthalmologist, Eye Surgeon at Viaan Eye Centre, Gurgaon told the publication: "Needing frequent prescription changes or feeling that glasses 'never feel quite right' may reflect subtle visual field changes caused by glaucoma rather than simple refractive error progression."4. Eye pressure or unusual discomfort Open-angle glaucoma, the most common form of the condition that causes patchy blind spots in your side vision, is often painless or limited to a mild sense of pressure or heaviness in the eyes.Those suffering from open-angle glaucoma may notice a dull ache after prolonged screen time or reading that improves with rest. Frequently mistaken as regular eye strain, it is often ignored, however, may indicate subtle increases in eye pressure that require professional evaluation.5. Frequent headaches with eye strainFrequent headaches, especially when accompanied by eye strain or blurred vision, should not be ignored as migraine pain as it may signal rising eye pressure or early glaucoma changes, Dr Dedhia warns. Who Is at Risk for Glaucoma?Certain groups of people have a higher than normal risk of getting glaucoma which includes those who: have high eye pressureare farsighted or nearsightedhave had an eye injuryuse long-term steroid medicationshave corneas that are thin in the centerhave thinning of the optic nervehave diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure, poor blood circulation or other health problems affecting the whole bodyare over age 40have family members with glaucomaare of African, Hispanic, or Asian heritage