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Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve, usually, but not always associated with elevated pressure in the eye. The optic nerve is made up of many individual nerve fibers which carry impulses from the retina to the brain. You can think of the optic nerve as being similar to a fiber-optic cord. When damage to the optic nerve occurs from glaucoma blind spots eventually develop. Because they are initially subtle, these blind spots usually go undetected until the optic nerve is significantly damaged.
Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, especially for older people. Early detection and treatment by an eye doctor are the keys to preventing optic nerve damage and blindness from glaucoma.
Certain people have more risks for developing glaucoma than others. For example, while glaucoma is usually not specifically inherited, people who have a relative with glaucoma will have more risk for developing this disease over the course of their lifetime. Some larger, more general groups such as African Americans are also at greater risk.
Vision loss from glaucoma can often be prevented with early diagnosis and treatment.
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