Doctors Warn: Glaucoma Has No Early Symptoms

Harrisburg, PA – Glaucoma is an eye disease that affects more than 2.7 million Americans aged 40 and older. Unfortunately, there are usually no early symptoms of glaucoma and the disease progresses so gradually that patients often don’t realize they have the disease until their vision has been permanently damaged. During Glaucoma Awareness Month in January, the Pennsylvania Academy of Ophthalmology is encouraging Pennsylvania residents to know their risk factors and get routine eye exams in order to save their sight.

Patients with glaucoma may have elevated levels of eye pressure due to deficient flow of the eye’s fluid. Over time, this increased eye pressure damages the optic nerve, which is responsible for sending signals from the retina to the brain. Glaucoma patients typically lose their peripheral vision first, then develop blind spots and eventually go blind without proper treatment.