What You Need to Know About Glaucoma Causes

Our eyes are the windows to our soul and the natural cameras that help us capture the beauty of this world. In addition, our eyes are also one of the most fragile organs in our body. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness amongst the elderly population and its symptoms include distorted eyeballs, excessive eye pain, damaged eye lenses, blurred vision and decreased vision. In order to understand the disease, one must look into glaucoma causes and correlating factors.

Passive prevention is a common approach when it comes to glaucoma. Instead of worrying about being diagnosed with glaucoma later in life, getting to know the causes of glaucoma is what helps us form a more proactive approach to this infamous eye disease.

The Actual Causes of Glaucoma

Glaucoma is caused by the increased pressure in the eye that damages the optic nerve ( the channel which transmits images to the brain). The increased pressure can be attributed to genetic inheritance or a build-up of fluid. This mesh-like channel allows fluid in front of the eye in order to relieve pressure. Blocking blood vessels in the eye is also said to be one of the glaucoma causes. Other discoveries of less common glaucoma causes include trauma to the eye, the chemical substance in the eye, eye infections that cause inflammation, and even eye surgery.

At the same time, if you’re confident in your ability to avoid the above causes of glaucoma, then turn your attention to your family’s eye disease history. If you find a relative that’s experienced glaucoma then you are at a higher risk of being diagnosed. If you’re over 40 and have this specific family history, then it’s advisable that you should visit an eye doctor every one or two years for a complete eye exam, because one of the main glaucoma causes is inheritance.

If you also have chronic conditions such as diabetes, then the risk is even higher. Routine visits with an eye doctor can make a big difference during diagnosis and treatment. If left untreated for a long time, glaucoma can lead to severe conditions, such as permanent loss of vision and blindness. If the disease isn’t treated properly, it’s almost a guarantee that you will lose your eyesight within a few years.

Although vision loss caused by glaucoma cannot be reversed, timely treatment will help lower eye pressure and prevent your eyes from experiencing further pain and damage. If you happen to have glaucoma, closely follow your treatment plans and immerse yourself in regular eye check-ups. Going completely blind doesn’t have to be an option for you.

Here are some valuable resources for the blind and visually impaired.