What is open-angle glaucoma?
Open-angle glaucoma is a common, serious eye problem. The insides of your eyes make fluid. When this fluid doesn’t drain out, it creates pressure. High pressure inside your eyes can slowly damage the nerves that help you see. Gradual nerve damage slowly reduces your sight. Vision loss is so slow that you might not notice it for a long time. Vision loss from glaucoma is permanent. Who gets open-angle glaucoma? Open-angle glaucoma usually affects older people. About 2.5 million Americans have it, but half of these people don’t know it. Glaucoma is most common among: • Black people older than 40 years • White people older than 65 years • People with a family history of glaucoma • People with diabetes • People who are very nearsighted How can I find out if I have open-angle glaucoma? Your doctor may want to look into your eye to check the optic nerve. If you have glaucoma, the optic nerve often looks abnormal. Your doctor also may check your vision and measure the pressure inside your eye.
