Worried about glaucoma? Wondering what it is and how to watch for symptoms? We asked the Food and Drug Administration for some answers to our glaucoma questions. We know: All About GlaucomaWhat is glaucoma?Glaucoma is an eye disease marked by an increase in pressure in the eyeball. People with glaucoma usually, but not always, experience an imbalance of eye fluid production and drainage. As a result, fluid builds up in the eyeball and pressure becomes abnormally high. This can damage the optic nerve, retina and other parts of the eye. What is chronic glaucoma?Chronic glaucoma is the most common form of the disease, affecting nearly 3 million Americans. Many people who have the disease don’t know it because there are no symptoms in the early stages. What is the best way to detect glaucoma early?There are usually NO symptoms in the early stages of glaucoma, so the only means of detecting whether you have the disease is a regular complete eye exam where the eyes are dilated for observation. What are the risk factors for glaucoma?Factors that place you at a particularly high risk include:
What are the treatments for glaucoma?Glaucoma is not curable, but there are treatments that can lower pressure in the eyeball. Treatments include:
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