Open Angle Glaucoma
This is the most common form of Glaucoma, affecting about three million Americans. It happens when the eye’s drainage canals become clogged over time. The inner eye pressure (also called intraocular pressure or IOP) rises because the correct amount of fluid can’t drain out of the eye. With open angle glaucoma, the entrances to the drainage canals are clear and should be working correctly. The clogging problem occurs further inside the drainage canals, similar to a clogged pipe below the drain in a sink.
Most people have no symptoms and no early warning signs. If open angle glaucoma is not diagnosed and treated, it can cause a gradual loss of vision. This type of glaucoma develops slowly and sometimes without noticeable sight loss for many years. It usually responds well to medication, especially if caught early and treated.
Information on this page is adapted from Glaucoma.org, the website of the Glaucoma Research Foundation in San Francisco, California, and is copyrighted by the Glaucoma Research Foundation.
The Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF) website provides information and resources on GRF programs, glaucoma, and glaucoma-related issues. GRF works to ensure that the information provided on its website is current, accurate, and useful. Information contained in this website is based on professional advice and expert opinion. However, the information contained on this website should not be considered medical guidance or professional advice. Please bear in mind that this is a wiki, so there is a possibility that the information above has been temporarily altered. Always seek out secondary sources or professional medical advice before acting on the above information.
