Glaucoma

The most common form of glaucoma (chronic or primary open-angle) does not usually present symptoms in its early stages. Rather, the disease may progress consistently with painless and slow loss of peripheral vision. Sometimes permanent blindness may even result.

To explore the steps to vision loss, click on the following steps.

Glaucoma does not usually cause symptoms in its early stages. In fact, visual field defects are not always present during the initial stages of the disease. Over time, however, damage to optic fibres eventually translates into a gradual loss of peripheral vision. As glaucoma progresses, blank areas develop in the “off center” part of the field of vision, leaving the person able to see only the central part of a given image and reducing peripheral vision. If the glaucoma is not detected in time or if treatment is continually neglected, the loss of vision moves inward from the periphery. Over time, it can even lead to blindness.

Did you know that? More than 2% of people over age 40 have glaucoma and the prevalence increases to 4% to 6% in people over age 60.