Question
I’ve been experiencing discomfort in my eyes lately and suspect I might have glaucoma. What are the symptoms of glaucoma?
Answer
Glaucoma is a serious eye disease caused by increased intraocular pressure, leading to optic disc cupping and field defects, which can ultimately result in blindness. Normal intraocular pressure ranges from 10 to 21 mmHg (using a Schitz tonometer), and anything over 24 mmHg is considered pathological. Increased intraocular pressure can damage vision, causing the optic disc to develop large and deep cupping, and visible glaucomatous changes in the field of vision. The longer the duration of increased intraocular pressure, the more severe the vision damage. The cause of increased intraocular pressure in glaucoma is the disruption of the dynamic balance of aqueous humor circulation. In some cases, it is due to excessive aqueous humor secretion, but more often, it is due to obstruction of aqueous humor outflow, such as narrow or closed anterior chamber angles, or corneal stromal hardening, etc.