Glaucoma Health Article

Expectations (prognosis)

Open-angle glaucoma:

You can manage open-angle glaucoma and almost always preserve your vision, but the condition cannot be cured. It's important to carefully follow up with your doctor. With good care, most patients with open-angle glaucoma will not lose vision.

Angle-closure glaucoma:

Rapid diagnosis and treatment of an attack is the key element to preserving vision. Seek emergency care if you have the symptoms of angle-closure attack.

Congenital glaucoma:

Early diagnosis and treatment is important. If surgery is done early enough, many patients will have no future problems.

Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if you have severe eye pain or a sudden loss of vision, especially loss of peripheral vision.

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have risk factors for glaucoma and have not been screened for the condition.

Prevention

There is no way to prevent open-angle glaucoma, but you can prevent vision loss from the condition. Early diagnosis and careful management are the keys to preventing vision loss.

Most people with open-angle glaucoma have no symptoms. Everyone over age 40 should have an eye examination at least once every 5 years, and more often if in a high-risk group. Those in high-risk groups include people with a family history of open-angle glaucoma and people of African heritage.

People at high risk for acute glaucoma may opt to undergo iridotomy before having an attack. Patients who have had an acute episode in the past may have the procedure to prevent a recurrence.