Overview
Glaucoma is a form of eye disease in which the optic nerve of the eye is damaged, causing loss of vision. While many forms of glaucoma exist, glaucoma can be broadly divided into two categories, open angle glaucoma and angle closure glaucoma.
Both categories of glaucoma result in the same characteristic damage to the optic nerve of the eye. As the eye is damaged from glaucoma, optic nerve fibers are destroyed, causing the optic nerve to look increasingly “cupped,” as if a larger and larger ice cream scooper is used to remove a pit from its center. As this loss of tissue progresses, it becomes visible to the doctor examining the eye, helping make the diagnosis of glaucoma. The progressive loss of optic nerve tissue causes loss of vision as well. The peripheral vision is usually affected first. Then, as the disease progresses, central vision or even total blindness can occur.
