Question
Lately, when I get off work, I feel my eyes are especially dry and gritty, and there’s a sense of pain. The doctor said it’s glaucoma. What are the causes of glaucoma?
Answer
The causes of glaucoma are not yet fully understood, primarily related to regional variations in the eye, including a shorter eye axis, smaller cornea, shallow anterior chamber, narrow angle, thicker lens, and a relatively forward position. When the iris passes over the pupil with the lens’s anterior surface, the resistance increases, leading to elevated intraocular pressure. It is commonly seen in people over 50 years old. Patients often have a downward gaze, with either one eye or both eyes developing the condition sequentially or simultaneously. Emotional stress, prolonged stay in dimly lit rooms, regional or systemic use of anticholinergic drugs can all cause the pupil to dilate and the peripheral iris to relax, thereby leading to this disease. Prolonged eye strain is also a common trigger for this condition.