What Is Glaucoma? Everything You Need To KnowGlaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. It is caused by high pressure inside the eye which leads to damage of the optic nerve that connects your eye to the visual centre in the brain.Glaucoma affects your field of vision, normally in the periphery but central vision can also be affected. If untreated more and more vision is lost which can lead to irreversible blindness. Glaucoma can run in families, so it is important to get checked if someone in your family has glaucoma.Why Does the Eye Pressure Go Up?Clear fluid, called aqueous, is constantly being produced in the eye and is drained though a special membrane, called the trabecular meshwork, in the front chamber of the eye. In glaucoma the drainage is affected and so the pressure goes up..fusion-widget-area-2 {padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;}.fusion-widget-area-2 .widget h4 {color:#252525;}.fusion-widget-area-2 .widget .heading h4 {color:#252525;} Search for: Recent Posts What Is Blepharitis? Symptoms & Treatment What Is Astigmatism? PRK Vs LASIK: What’s The Difference? Myopia Vs Hyperopia: What’s The Difference? What Is Hyperopia? (Long-Sightedness) Book a consultation to see how to best tackle your eye condition. Call us or book a consultation online today.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-4{border-color:#ffffff;border-radius:25px 25px 25px 25px;background:rgba(92,92,98,0.8);}.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-4 .fusion-button-text,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-4 i,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-4:hover .fusion-button-text,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-4:hover i,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-4:focus .fusion-button-text,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-4:focus i,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-4:active .fusion-button-text,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-4:active i{color:#ffffff;}.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-4:hover,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-4:active,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-4:focus{border-color:#ffffff;background:#5c5c62;}CALL 0800 197 8808.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-5{border-radius:25px 25px 25px 25px;}Book a consultationAre There Different Types of Glaucoma?There are two main types of glaucoma; open angle and closed angle glaucoma.Open-angle glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma in the UK. Eye pressure becomes high due to the drainage meshwork not working well enough to drain the fluid. Vision loss is often slow and painless, so patients are not aware of the problem until the disease is already quite advanced.Closed-angle glaucoma occurs when there is a blockage before the drainage meshwork. Eye pressure can rise quickly and can be accompanied with pain, blurred vision, haloes around lights, nausea and vomiting. This type of glaucoma requires prompt treatment to prevent rapid visual loss.How Is Glaucoma Treated?As damage from glaucoma is irreversible the key to treating glaucoma is diagnosing it early. Treatment options include drops or laser initially, with surgery usually reserved for more advanced cases. Laser for glaucoma is painless and effective and is now becoming used more and more as the initial treatment as people do not like using eye drops which can sting or make the eye red and is a life-long treatment. About the expertMr Samer Hamada | Consultant Ophthalmologist and Corneal SurgeonMD, MSc, DO (hons), FRCSEd, FRCOphth I am Samer Hamada, founder and consultant ophthalmic surgeon with over 20 years’ experience in ophthalmology. I am a world-renowned specialist in cornea, cataract and refractive surgery. I’m not only a leading surgeon but also the only dual fellowship trained in corneal diseases in children from reputable institutions in the UK. At Eye Clinic London I work closely with other consultant ophthalmologists, optometrists and orthoptists to achieve the best outcomes for our patients. Our main aim is to make sure our patients get the safest and best treatments available to them. We put your safety before anything else so you can rest assured that if you choose us you will be in the best and safest hands. .fusion-body .fusion-button.button-6{border-color:#ffffff;border-radius:25px 25px 25px 25px;background:rgba(92,92,98,0.8);}.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-6 .fusion-button-text,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-6 i,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-6:hover .fusion-button-text,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-6:hover i,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-6:focus .fusion-button-text,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-6:focus i,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-6:active .fusion-button-text,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-6:active i{color:#ffffff;}.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-6:hover,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-6:active,.fusion-body .fusion-button.button-6:focus{border-color:#ffffff;background:#5c5c62;}Learn more about me