Diseases that affect our eyes and thus one of our most important senses can massively reduce the quality of life. We will show you which symptoms you can use to recognize glaucoma and which treatment options are available.
In Germany, between 1 and 2 percent of the population are affected by glaucoma. This term covers several eye diseases in which there is damage to the optic nerve . The main causes are increased intraocular pressure (in about 50 percent of cases) and poor blood flow to the optic nerve – but there is still a need for research here. The death of the nerve cells leads to the following symptoms over time.
Table of Contents
Glaucoma: 4 signs of glaucoma
1. Blind spots
In the early stages, many sufferers of glaucoma do not yet notice, as tiny gaps form in their field of vision, which slowly and gradually increase in size. Over time, “blind spots” appear, especially at the outer edges of the field of vision, which limit peripheral vision. In later stages, it can even lead to complete blindness. Around 2,000 people with glaucoma go blind in Germany every year – the disease is therefore one of the most common causes of blindness.
2. Decreasing visual acuity
Glaucoma can also reduce visual acuity, especially in advanced stages. Those affected then find it increasingly difficult to perceive contours and the field of vision appears blurred. For example, steps or obstacles can be perceived less well and the risk of falling increases.
3. Difficult light-dark adaptation
When we wake up at night and switch on a lamp or step outside into a dark hallway on a sunny day, our eyes suddenly and quickly have to adapt to changing light conditions. This light-dark adaptation can also be impaired in glaucoma, so that sufferers need longer to get used to the sudden brightness or darkness.
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4. Headache
If there is a sudden closure of the drainage tract, the internal pressure in the eye increases rapidly, resulting in acute headaches. The eyes can also hurt. With a glaucoma, the headaches occur more often in the morning.
This is how glaucoma is treated
In the treatment of glaucoma, which usually progresses slowly, the focus is on lowering the intraocular pressure. On the one hand, this can be reduced conservatively with eye drops or, if this measure has no effect, reduced surgically or by laser treatment. The so-called narrow-angle glaucoma – a rarer form of the disease – can even lead to a glaucoma attack . In this case, the eye pressure increases rapidly, which requires rapid medical intervention. Early detection examinations are all the more important, but these are only covered by statutory health insurance companies if there is a suspicion.
