The most common type, called Open-Angle Glaucoma, usually has no early symptoms. Many people don’t notice any changes in their vision until the damage is already serious. That’s why regular eye checks are so important, especially if you have any risk factors.
5 Facts You May Not Know About Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye condition that can slowly damage the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, causing permanent loss of peripheral and eventually central vision. The tricky part is that with many types of Glaucoma, it develops without obvious warning signs.
1. Glaucoma Can Happen Without Warning
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2. There Are Different Types of Glaucoma
Not all glaucoma is the same. Angle-Closure Glaucoma, for example, can cause sudden eye pain, blurred vision, halos around lights, nausea, or even vomiting, this is a medical emergency.
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When we hear “cataracts,” most of us think of older adults whose vision clouds with age. But imagine a toddler, a child, their world slowly dimming, colours fading, faces blurring. That is the reality for many children born with or develop cataracts.
3. Some People Are More at Risk
Anyone can develop glaucoma, but some factors make it more likely. Increasing age, those with a family history of glaucoma, certain ethnic backgrounds, or those with diabetes or are long-sightedness are at higher risk.
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4. Signs of Glaucoma Can Be Hard to Spot
Initially people with Open-Angle Glaucoma have no symptoms. Initially it affects your peripheral vision, so you might not notice anything until it’s advanced far enough affect your central vision. If left untreated, vision can narrow until it becomes a “tunnel.” Angle-Closure Glaucoma, on the other hand, comes on quickly and painfully, with obvious symptoms that need urgent medical attention.
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When Augustina discovered she was expecting her daughter Christolyte, she was overjoyed. “I had been told that I couldn’t have any more children,” she recalls. With a ten-year-old son already at home, being able to welcome another child felt like an incredible blessing.
5. Early Detection Can Protect Your Sight
There is no treatment which can reverse the loss of vision caused by glaucoma, but early treatment can stop it from getting worse. Treatments include eye drops to lower eye pressure, laser treatment, or surgery if needed. Regular check-ups are key, because the earlier it’s found, the better the chances of keeping your sight.
How Orbis Helps
Orbis works to bring eye care and glaucoma treatment to communities around the world. We train local healthcare teams, provide essential equipment, and run awareness campaigns so people can recognise the signs of glaucoma. By combining training, technology, and community support, Orbis helps prevent avoidable blindness worldwide.
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Take Action to Protect Your Sight
Regular eye exams are the best way to catch glaucoma early. If you or someone you know is at risk, don’t wait, visit your nearest optician.
Support Orbis and help bring life-saving eye care to those who need it, because everyone deserves the chance to see clearly.
Authored by John Ferris
John Ferris is a UK ophthalmologist and a consultant Ophthalmologist at Cheltenham General Hospital since 1999. He is also an Orbis Volunteer and Orbis UK trustee.
