Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage your eye’s optic
nerve and result in vision loss and, if left untreated, can lead
to blindness. In fact, it is one of the leading causes of
blindness in Australia, affecting approximately 3% of the
population. It is more common with advancing age and in women.
Nearly half of people with glaucoma don’t even know they have
the disease, so detection is of primary importance. While there
is no cure for glaucoma, the positive news is that, if it’s
diagnosed early enough, it can usually be controlled and ongoing
treatment can prevent blindness. Glaucoma usually occurs when a
(blockage of the natural fluid outflow channels causes build up
of the fluid in your eye, increasing pressure on the nerve that
sends images from your eye to your brain for processing.
Eventually, the pressure damages the optic nerve at the back of
the eye, and side vision is gradually reduced. However, glaucoma
is not simply a case of high eye pressure that can be diagnosed
by measuring the press