What are the symptoms of glaucoma?
Early stage glaucoma can occur without any symptoms. If the disease progresses, damage to the optic nerve can occur, which may cause blind spots to develop in your peripheral (side) vision. These spots may not be noticeable until the optic nerve has become severely damaged . or until detected by an ophthalmologist during a complete exam.
In angle closure glaucoma, an emergency condition in patients with narrow angle glaucoma, there may be symptoms before the attack, though some early symptoms can include blurred vision, halos, headache or mild eye pain or redness. At the time of a closed-angle glaucoma attack, symptoms include, severe eye or brow pain, redness of the eye, decreased or blurred vision, seeing colored rainbows or halos, headache, nausea or vomiting.
People can have glaucoma with eye pressures within normal ranges, but they have glaucoma signs and symptoms, such as blind spots in their field of vision and optic nerve damage.
Conversely, some people may not have glaucoma symptoms, but may have higher than normal eye pressure (called ocular hypertension). They are considered "glaucoma suspects," and should be monitored carefully by an ophthalmologist.
