Glaucoma is a progressive eye condition and a leading cause of vision loss worldwide. While anyone can get glaucoma, those over the age of sixty are more at risk.
Also, you’re more at risk of developing this eye condition if it runs in your family. Genetics is one of the main risk factors for developing certain types of glaucoma that occur before age forty.
Keep reading to learn more about glaucoma and how it can run in families!
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that can damage the optic nerve. The optic nerve is a cable of nerve fibers that transmits visual information from your retina to your brain, allowing you to see.
Optic nerve damage from glaucoma is usually linked to high pressure in your eyes, known as intraocular pressure (IOP). High IOP can occur when too much fluid is being produced, or not enough fluid is leaving your eye.
When your optic nerve is damaged, it can’t communicate effectively what your eyes see to your brain. Over time, this can lead to irreversible vision loss.
Most forms of glaucoma don’t have symptoms in the early stages. Often, the progression of glaucoma is so slow that you might not notice any changes in your vision until significant, irreparable damage has already occurred.
That’s why frequent eye exams are so important, especially if you have a family history of glaucoma.
Are There Different Types of Glaucoma?
There are different types of glaucoma, some types are more common than others.
Primary Open Angle Glaucoma
Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common form. Open-angle glaucoma develops when fluid doesn’t drain from your eye properly because of a partial blockage in the trabecular meshwork.
Most of the fluid exits your eye through the trabecular meshwork.
The drainage issue can lead to fluid buildup, which can increase your eye pressure and damage your optic nerve.
This form of glaucoma develops gradually in its early stages. So, symptoms are usually not noticeable until your optic nerve is considerably damaged.
Angle-Closure Glaucoma
While angle-closure glaucoma is less common, it can develop very fast and cause rapid vision loss and many other symptoms. It happens when the angle of the eye, which is the area the fluid has to travel through to reach the drainage channel, becomes blocked or closed off.
This blockage can cause fluid to build up rapidly, increasing eye pressure dramatically. When this happens, and symptoms come on suddenly, it’s a medical emergency that requires immediate attention to prevent permanent vision loss.
Symptoms of closed-angle glaucoma include:
- Halos
- Eye redness
- Blurred vision
- Severe eye pain
- Intense headache
- Nausea or vomiting
Congenital Glaucoma
Also called infantile, childhood, or pediatric glaucoma, congenital glaucoma affects kids between birth and three years. It happens when the eye’s drainage system doesn’t develop as it should before birth.
This results in high intraocular pressure that, in turn, damages the optic nerve. Signs of congenital glaucoma include:
- Redness
- Watery eyes
- Cloudy cornea
- Light sensitivity
- Enlarged eyes
Does Glaucoma Run in Families?
While having a parent or sibling with glaucoma doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get it, it puts you at a higher developing the condition. This is particularly the case with specific types of glaucoma, including primary open-angle, primary closed-angle glaucoma, and congenital glaucoma.
If you get glaucoma before age forty, it’s considered early-onset glaucoma. When that happens, it’s often linked to heredity.
Glaucoma can be passed down from your parents through inherited genetic mutations. You can also inherit physical abnormalities in the eyes, which can make you more likely to get glaucoma.
If a close family member has glaucoma, it’s important to tell your ophthalmologist your family history. Your eye doctor will begin screening for glaucoma earlier than usual if the eye condition runs in your family.
Does glaucoma run in your family? Schedule an eye exam at Morganton Eye Center in Shelby, NC, today!
