Glaucoma is usually caused by fluid pressure in the eyeball that is too high for the optic nerve to tolerate. The optic nerve carries visual impulses from your eye to the brain. This pressure build-up occurs because of an imbalance between the production and drainage of fluid within the eyeball.
Risk factors for glaucoma include:
Age: Your risk increases when you are over 80 years old
Chronic diseases: You are at increased risk if you have diabetes or high blood pressure
Ethnicity: Asians are more susceptible to angle-closure glaucoma than Caucasians
Eye injuries: Severe myopia, eye injuries or surgeries can increase your risk
Family history: Having a family history of glaucoma increases your risk
Use of corticosteroids: Extended use of corticosteroid medications can increase your risk
Inherently high pressure inside the eye
Refractive error (short-sightedness or myopia is a risk factor for open-angle glaucoma; long-sightedness or hyperopia is a risk factor for closed-angle glaucoma)
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the updates to your email inbox...
