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Most people who have glaucoma don't
notice any symptoms until they begin to lose some
vision.
As optic nerve fibers are damaged by glaucoma, small
blind spots may begin to develop, usually in the side --
or peripheral -- vision. The top photo at left shows how
a scene would be viewed by a person with normal vision.
The bottom image shows the same scene as viewed by a
person with glaucoma. Many people don't notice the blind
spots until significant optic nerve damage has already
occurred. If the entire nerve is destroyed, blindness
results.
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One type of glaucoma, acute angle-closure glaucoma, does
produce noticeable symptoms. In angle-closure glaucoma, there is
a rapid buildup of pressure in the eye (intraocular pressure,
known as IOP), which may cause any of the following:
- blurred vision
- severe eye pain
- headache
- haloes (which may appear as rainbows) around lights
- nausea and vomiting
Angle-closure glaucoma is a rare, but serious, form of the
disease. If you have any of these symptoms, call your
ophthalmologist immediately. Unless treated quickly, blindness
can result.
If you think you're at risk for glaucoma, and haven't had a
medical eye examination in the past two years, you can call the Celebrate
Sight: Do You Know Your Glaucoma Risk?sm
for a referral to an ophthalmologist in your area. If you
have no medical insurance and are unable to pay for care, the
initial examination, and subsequent medical care for glaucoma,
are at no cost to you.