Glaucoma

At a glance

  • Glaucoma is an eye condition that involves damage to the optic nerve.
  • This affects the field of vision, leading to “blind spots.”
  • Glaucoma is often caused by increased intraocular pressure (pressure in the eye), which can be treated with eye drops.
  • The most common form is called open-angle glaucoma. This form progresses slowly, and doesn't cause vision problems for many years.
  • A screening for glaucoma is available. In Germany, it is usually not covered by statutory health insurers.

Introduction

Photo of an eye exam

Our eyesight often gets worse with age. In addition to this normal aging effect, people may also develop eye diseases that impair their vision, or even lead to blindness. Glaucoma is one of the more common eye diseases.

The term “” is used to describe a number of different eye conditions, all of which involve damage to the optic nerve. This damage leads to ever larger gaps in the field of vision, which usually go unnoticed at first. Your field of vision is what you can see when you look straight ahead, without moving your eyes. In advanced stages, your ability to see things sharply (visual acuity) also gets worse.

Over 80 percent of people who have have a form called open-angle . This form progresses slowly, and damage to the optic nerve doesn't cause vision problems for many years. Eye drops and surgery are the most commonly used treatments. Angle-closure is less common: This type can go unnoticed for a long time, but then very suddenly cause severe vision loss and other problems.

Symptoms

People with can no longer see certain areas within their field of vision, or can only see them to a limited degree. Blind spots appear, usually near the point of sharpest vision () and up to the edges of the field of vision. Because central vision isn’t affected at first, these problems are often not noticeable at the beginning.

But the blind spots can make it increasingly difficult to get around in everyday life. When looking straight ahead, for example while driving, you can see the street ahead of you clearly, but not the people and objects on the sidewalks to the right and left. It can also be difficult to adjust to changes in light, like when you enter a dark hallway from outdoors. And it can become increasingly harder to see obstacles like steps or the curb. This increases the risk of falls.

What is unique about angle-closure is that it can lead to an acute “attack” of . This happens when there’s a sudden and great increase in (the pressure inside the eye). Typical symptoms include acute vision problems, reddening of the eye, intense headache and eye pain, and nausea.

Causes

Glaucoma is often caused by increased (pressure in the eye). Intraocular pressure arises in the chambers of the eye between the and the lens. The chambers contain a fluid called aqueous humor that is produced by the eye itself. It flows continuously from the back (posterior) chamber to the front (anterior) chamber and then drains out through a very thin tube (Schlemm's canal). This cycle helps to maintain a constant healthy pressure in the eye. The aqueous humor also provides nutrients to the , the iris and the lens.

Illustration: Glaucoma

If the aqueous humor can’t drain properly, it starts to build up and the pressure within the eye increases. The optic nerve is “squashed” and nerve cells might die as a result. Whether high causes damage will depend on various factors, including how strong the optic nerve is: only some people will be susceptible to optic nerve damage. In angle-closure , the drainage of aqueous humor may be blocked completely. If that happens, no aqueous humor at all can leave the eye, and the eye starts to swell up quickly.

Intraocular pressure is measured in mmHg (millimeters of mercury). Readings between 10 and 21 mmHg are considered to be normal. But isn't always caused by high . About half of all people who develop have optic nerve damage without having high . It is thought that normal pressure might already cause damage in these people. Glaucoma of this type is also called "normal-tension " (NTG) for that reason.

Glaucoma may also result from inflammations, injury or vascular disease. It is then called secondary . Only very rarely do people have from birth.

It is not always possible to determine what has caused the optic nerve damage because not all causes of are known. It is probably caused by a combination of factors coming together too, which makes it harder to pinpoint a single cause.

Risk factors

About 4 out of 100 people over the age of 40 have high . But only few of them will develop : It is estimated that about 10 out of 100 people with high will experience loss of vision within five years. The risk is determined by various factors, including the thickness of your and the level of pressure inside your eye. People with very high are quite a lot more likely to get than people whose is only slightly higher than normal.

Other risk factors include old age, a family history of , severe nearsightedness and diabetes. And people with dark skin are also more likely to develop .

Prevalence

It is estimated that about 1 to 2 out of 100 people between the ages of 40 and 80 will develop within five years. About 3 to 4 out of 100 people in this age range already have .

Outlook

Open-angle usually develops gradually and goes unnoticed at first. The blind spots may continue to get bigger over time, until it's only possible to see the very center of the field of vision. Many years or decades often pass until that happens. This means that many people can still see well enough even 20 years after being diagnosed – especially if they receive effective treatment. The damage that has already been done to a person's vision can't be undone by treatment, though.

Only a small number of people who have (either form) go completely blind over the years. It is estimated that this happens to about 1,100 people in Germany each year.

Angle-closure can also go undetected for a long time. But an acute attack of can occur quite suddenly. This should be treated as a medical emergency because it can lead to lasting loss of vision within a few hours or days.

Illustration: Possible effects on field of vision

Diagnosis

Eye doctors can diagnose even before the first symptoms become noticeable. They will first ask about any symptoms and then examine your eye. A special instrument called an ophthalmoscope is used to look at the inside of the eye and see if the optic nerve is damaged. Intraocular pressure is also measured, usually with a technique called applanation tonometry. This involves numbing the eye using a drop of liquid, and then placing the tip of a small measuring device against the .

If it is thought you might have , your eye doctor will also measure your field of vision. This is done to see if parts of the field of vision are affected and whether blind spots have already developed.

Screening

Many eye doctors offer tests to detect high or . People who would like to have these tests have to pay for them themselves. The tests involve checking the optic nerve, measuring the and examining the eye with a slit lamp. In Germany, statutory health insurers will only cover the costs if doctors suspect that you have or if you have certain risk factors, such as eye damage caused by diabetes.

No good-quality research has been done to tell whether generally for is a good idea in particular age groups or high-risk groups.

Treatment

Lowering can help to delay or stop the gradual loss of vision. Glaucoma can't be cured, though, because the damage already done to the optic nerve can't be reversed. If someone has and high , it’s usually treated using eye drops. Depending on the specific product, the eye drops are applied either once or several times a day. Regular check-ups at the eye doctor are also important here. The check-ups are offered one to three times a year, depending on how advanced the is.

Surgery (trabeculectomy or a minimally invasive procedure) or laser treatment may be considered if the medication doesn't work, stops working after a while, or isn’t well tolerated.

Acute attacks of must be treated quickly to avoid any damage to the optic nerve. So it's important to go to a doctor or hospital immediately if you have any of the typical symptoms, such as acute vision problems or pain in your eye. There they may use laser treatment to drain the fluid that has built up.

Everyday life

Many people who are found to have high will feel quite nervous about it, even though their vision is still perfectly fine. Just knowing that you have high , and therefore a higher risk of developing , may cause you to worry about even the slightest trouble with your vision, although it may have nothing to do with .

People with are often very scared of going blind. Especially at the start, many people want to find out all about the treatment and how the might affect their life.

If leads to major vision loss, everyday life needs to be adjusted to the new situation. Things at home can be set up to make it easier to find your way around – for instance, by adding additional sources of light. Removing tripping hazards is important too, in order to prevent falls. It is also usually possible to make changes at work or in everyday activities such as sports, shopping or reading. Seeking support and finding out about things that could help you – for instance, by asking your doctor or health insurer – can make everyday life easier. Many people who have also find it helpful to find out more about the condition and ways to cope with its effects, or to talk with other people who have – for instance, in a support group or on an internet forum.

It is often difficult to recognize the point at which makes it impossible to drive a car safely. At first, people with often start making changes to their driving habits, for instance by no longer driving at night or only sticking to familiar streets. It is important to try to be aware of when your vision becomes too much of a problem and you start putting yourself and others at risk. Once a certain amount of eyesight has been lost, driving is illegal. Your eye doctor can give you more specific information and advice.

It is not easy to deal with worsening vision and being increasingly dependent on other people. But you may eventually have to give up control in some areas of your life. Other people can then help you to keep up your usual activities as much as possible and to maintain social contacts.

Talking about your worries and fears with family and friends early on can be a great relief. Together you can develop strategies for dealing with worsening eyesight. Having people who are there for you and who understand and support you can really make things easier in life – particularly if you’re dealing with a difficult health problem and want to stay as active as you can.

Further information

People usually go to see their eye doctor first for help with eye problems. You can read about how to find the right doctor in our topic "Health care in Germany" – and our list of questions can help you to prepare for your appointment.

In Germany, there are numerous sources of support for people with , including support groups and information centers. Our list may help you find and make use of local services.

Burr J, Azuara-Blanco A, Avenell A et al. Medical versus surgical interventions for open angle glaucoma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012; (9): CD004399.

Chou R, Selph S, Blazina I et al. Screening for Glaucoma in Adults: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (AHRQ Evidence Syntheses; No. 2014). 2022.

Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft (DOG), Berufsverband der Augenärzte Deutschlands (BVA). Bewertung von Risikofaktoren für das Auftreten des Offenwinkelglaukoms (S2e-Leitlinie). AWMF-Registernr.: 045-015. 2020.

Glen FC, Crabb DP. Living with glaucoma: a qualitative study of functional implications and patients' coping behaviours. BMC Ophthalmol 2015; 15: 128.

Green J, Siddall H, Murdoch I. Learning to live with glaucoma: a qualitative study of diagnosis and the impact of sight loss. Soc Sci Med 2002; 55(2): 257-267.

Kapetanakis VV, Chan MP, Foster PJ et al. Global variations and time trends in the prevalence of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG): a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Ophthalmol 2016; 100(1): 86-93.

King A, Azuara-Blanco A, Tuulonen A. Glaucoma. BMJ 2013; 346: f3518.

Lacey J, Cate H, Broadway DC. Barriers to adherence with glaucoma medications: a qualitative research study. Eye (Lond) 2009; 23(4): 924-932.

Simeone S, Pucciarelli G, Perrone M et al. Lived experience of patients with glaucoma glaucoma: a phenomenological study. Prof Inferm 2017; 70(3): 178-186.

Trautner C, Haastert B, Richter B et al. Incidence of blindness in southern Germany due to glaucoma and degenerative conditions. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2003; 44(3): 1031-1034.

Vass C, Hirn C, Sycha T et al. Medical interventions for primary open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007; (4): CD003167.

Weinreb RN, Aung T, Medeiros FA. The pathophysiology and treatment of glaucoma: a review. JAMA 2014; 311(18): 1901-1911.

IQWiG health information is written with the aim of helping people understand the advantages and disadvantages of the main treatment options and health care services.

Because IQWiG is a German institute, some of the information provided here is specific to the German health care system. The suitability of any of the described options in an individual case can be determined by talking to a doctor. informedhealth.org can provide support for talks with doctors and other medical professionals, but cannot replace them. We do not offer individual consultations.

Our information is based on the results of good-quality studies. It is written by a team of health care professionals, scientists and editors, and reviewed by external experts. You can find a detailed description of how our health information is produced and updated in our methods.

Comment on this page

What would you like to share with us?

We welcome any feedback and ideas - either via our form or by gi-kontakt@iqwig.de. We will review, but not publish, your ratings and comments. Your information will of course be treated confidentially. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required fields.

Please note that we do not provide individual advice on matters of health. You can read about where to find help and support in Germany in our information “How can I find self-help groups and information centers?

Print page

Über diese Seite

Updated on July 14, 2023

Next planned update: 2026

Publisher:

Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG, Germany)

How we keep you informed

Follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our newsletter or newsfeed. You can find all of our films online on YouTube.