Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of adult blindness in the United States after AMD (age-related macular degeneration) it is the second most common cause resulting in vision loss. Around 2.2 million Americans age 40 and above have the glaucoma, and, as the condition does not express any symptoms in its primary stages, half of them unaware of the disease. According to researchers 5 to 10 million people are at high risk for the glaucoma
Types of glaucoma
- Open-angle glaucoma: It contributes in almost 90 % of all glaucoma cases reported in the United States, develops slowly and don’t mention any superficial symptoms until reach to later stages.
- Closed-angle glaucoma: It occurs mostly in people of Chinese ancestry and few other Asian groups. The difference between open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma is ended by examining the front portion of the eye to test the angle where the iris meets the cornea. Both types can result in blindness by destructing the optic nerve. Even people with normal IOP can experience damage to the optic nerve. In fact, 25 to 30 percent of people suffer glaucoma do not have imminent interocular pressure (IOP) levels.
Causes of Glaucoma
The eye produces about one teaspoon of aqueous humor each day, a transparent fluid that provides nutrients to, and take away waste products of the lens and cornea. Normally, fluid production and drainage are in equilibrium, and IOP is in-between 12 and 22 mm Hg.