Glaucoma damages the eye's optic nerve. It is a leading cause of blindness in the United States. It usually happens when the fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises, damaging the optic nerve. Often there are no symptoms at first, but a comprehensive eye exam can detect it.
People at risk should get eye exams at least every two years. They include
- African Americans over age 40
- People over age 60, especially Mexican Americans
- People with a family history of glaucoma
Early treatment can help protect your eyes against vision loss. Treatments usually include prescription eyedrops and/or surgery.
National Eye Institute
- Glaucoma(National Institute on Aging) - http://nihseniorhealth.gov/glaucoma/toc.html
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Glaucoma(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/glaucoma/glaucoma_facts.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/espanol/glaucoma_paciente.asp
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Glaucoma(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/glaucoma/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/glaucomaspanish/htm/index.htm
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Glaucoma(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/seniors/common-older/216.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/seniors/common-older/216.printerview.html
- Glaucoma(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/glaucoma/DS00283/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Diagnostic Tests for Glaucoma(Glaucoma Research Foundation) - http://www.glaucoma.org/learn/diagnostic_test.php
- Glaucoma Symptoms(American Health Assistance Foundation) - http://www.ahaf.org/glaucoma/about/symptoms.html
- Cyclophotocoagulation(Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.eyecareamerica.org/eyecare/treatment/cyclophotocoagulation/index.cfm
- Eyedrop Tips(Glaucoma Research Foundation) - http://www.glaucoma.org/treating/eyedrop_tips_1.php
- Glaucoma Filtration Surgery(Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.eyecareamerica.org/eyecare/treatment/glaucoma-filtration/index.cfm
- Glaucoma Treatment(American Health Assistance Foundation) - http://www.ahaf.org/glaucoma/treatment/
- Laser Iridotomy(American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZXI9SSSEE&sub_cat=0
- Laser Trabeculoplasty(Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.eyecareamerica.org/eyecare/treatment/laser-trabeculoplasty/index.cfm
- How Often Should I Have an Eye Exam?(Prevent Blindness America) - http://www.preventblindness.org/eye_tests/near_vision_recom.html
- New Tool to Predict Glaucoma(Glaucoma Research Foundation) - http://www.glaucoma.org/treating/a_new_tool_to_p.php
- Alternative Medicine(Glaucoma Research Foundation) - http://www.glaucoma.org/treating/alternative_med.php
- Glaucoma and Marijuana Use(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/news/statements/marij.asp
- Types of Glaucoma(Glaucoma Foundation) - http://www.glaucomafoundation.org/types_of_glaucoma.htm
- Daily Life(Glaucoma Research Foundation) - http://www.glaucoma.org/living/daily_life.php
- Driving When You Have Glaucoma(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) - http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/olddrive/Driving_glaucoma/
- Ocular Hypertension(American Optometric Association) - http://www.aoa.org/x4723.xml
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Talking to Your Doctor(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/talktodoc.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/espanol/oculista.asp
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Diagram of the Eye(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/eyediagram/
Also available in Spanish http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/espanol/diagrama_ojo.asp
- Progression of Glaucoma Symptoms As Seen through the Eyes of the Patient(American Health Assistance Foundation) - http://www.ahaf.org/glaucoma/about/understanding/progression-of-glaucoma.html
- Glaucoma: How Much Do You Know?(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/glaucoma_quiz/index.asp
- Glaucoma(National Institute on Aging) - http://nihseniorhealth.gov/glaucoma/toc.html
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Glaucoma(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/glaucoma/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/glaucomaspanish/htm/index.htm
- If I Had - Glaucoma(Insidermedicine) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.insidermedicine.com/Archives/If_I_Had_-_Glaucoma_-_Dr_Henry_Jampel_MD_1681.aspx?p=mdlnp
- Anatomy of the Eye(Glaucoma Research Foundation) - http://www.glaucoma.org/learn/anatomy_of_the.php
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Financial Aid for Eye Care(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/financialaid.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/espanol/financialaid_sp.asp
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Glaucoma(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Glaucoma%22
- Genetics Home Reference: Early-onset glaucoma(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=earlyonsetglaucoma
- Genetics Home Reference: Nail-patella syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=nailpatellasyndrome
- Article: Predicting response to glaucoma therapy in one eye based on... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18779480&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: A comparison of corneal endothelial cell changes after 1-site and... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18724149&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Currents on target intraocular pressure and intraocular pressure fluctuations in... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18700453&tool=MedlinePlus
- Glaucoma -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=glaucoma[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+systematic[sb])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Glaucoma: Glossary of Medical Terms(Glaucoma Research Foundation) - http://www.glaucoma.org/learn/glossary.php
- Eye Health Organizations Database(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/resourceSearch.asp
- Find an Eye M.D.(American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.aao.org/aao/eyemd_disclaimer.cfm
- Find Services for People with Vision Loss(American Foundation for the Blind) - http://www.afb.org/services.asp
- American Optometric Association - http://www.aoa.org/
- Glaucoma Foundation - http://www.glaucomafoundation.org/
- Glaucoma Research Foundation - http://www.glaucoma.org/
- National Eye Institute - http://www.nei.nih.gov/
- Eye to Eye Newsletter(Glaucoma Foundation) - http://www.glaucomafoundation.org/newsletter.htm
- Glaucoma and Medicare(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/health/glaucoma_info.asp
- Does Your Child Have Glaucoma?(Glaucoma Research Foundation) - http://www.glaucoma.org/learn/does_your_child.php
- Glaucoma(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site961/mainpageS961P0.html
- Eye Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/eyediseases.html
- Eyes and Vision - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/eyesandvision.html
- Seniors - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/seniors.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Glaucoma is the National Eye Institute - http://www.nei.nih.gov/
Glaucoma - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/glaucoma.html