Book an examination. With sudden pain and a red eye: contact us the same day.
What is glaucoma?
In glaucoma, the nerve fibres in the optic nerve slowly die. The most common cause is that the pressure in the eye is higher than the optic nerve can tolerate, but the disease can also occur with normal pressure. The brain is good at filling in the gaps that appear in the field of vision, so many people only discover the disease when the damage is advanced.
Around 100,000 people in Denmark are being treated for glaucoma, and many more are thought to have the disease without knowing it.
Two forms
Chronic glaucoma
The most common form (open-angle glaucoma). Develops over years without pain. The field of vision gradually narrows from the sides.
Acute glaucoma
The eye’s drainage is suddenly blocked, and the pressure rises sharply within minutes to hours. Most often seen in long-sighted people.
Signs of acute glaucoma – contact a doctor the same day
- Sudden, severe pain in and around the eye
- Red eye and blurred vision
- Rainbow-coloured rings around lights
- Headache, nausea or vomiting
Who gets glaucoma?
- The risk increases with age
- Glaucoma in your close family significantly increases the risk
- Raised eye pressure, severe short-sightedness and diabetes
- Long-term treatment with corticosteroids
If glaucoma runs in your family, an examination is recommended from around the age of 40.
How we examine you
We measure the pressure in the eye, look at the optic nerve and the drainage angle, and test the field of vision. The measurements are repeated over time so we can see whether the disease is progressing.
Treatment
Glaucoma cannot be cured, but treatment can almost always slow it down so that vision is preserved. Treatment lowers the pressure in the eye:
- Eye drops daily, usually as the first treatment
- Laser treatment (SLT) for chronic glaucoma. Read about SLT
- Iridotomy for narrow drainage angles and acute glaucoma. Read about iridotomy
- Surgery in hospital if other treatment is not enough
Once the diagnosis has been made, you will need check-ups for the rest of your life.
This text is general information and does not replace an examination. If you are unsure about your symptoms, call us.