Acute Glaucoma is a Very Serious Eye Disease

If one is serious about their health, then theyWith other forms of this disease, many times the
have to make sure that they take care of theirindividual has no idea that they have this eye
eyes as well. There are four types of glaucomadisease. The other eye picks up the slack in a
that can attack the eyes. Acute glaucoma is asense, and this allows a person to go on without
very serious disease and needs to be treatedhaving any idea of the damage that is being done.
immediately. Making sure that you have an annualIf this damage is not discovered in a timely
eye exam will go a long way towards makingmanner, then the person can eventually go blind.
sure that you have your vision for many yearsThe bad part about this disease, aside from the
to come.fact that is a insidious, is the fact that once the
There are four types of this disease, but acutedamage is done it cannot be reversed. So it is
glaucoma is different in that it can developimperative to discover glaucoma as early as
suddenly and do serious damage in a shortpossible. Many of the glaucoma attacks occur
amount of time. It usually works by causingwhen a person is under stress or in a darkened
pressure to be increased within the eye. Generally,room. In the dark and when under stress, the
this happens slowly and the person is not awarepupils dilate, which causes greater contact
of what is going on. In this type of glaucoma thebetween the eyes lens and the iris. There are
pressure increases suddenly and this increase insome drugs that can cause pupils to dilate and
pressure is very painful.bring on an attack, such as anti-depressants,
The pain can become so intense that it can makeantihistamines, nausea medications and some cold
a person vomit and even lose consciousness. Thismedications.
is very serious and usually requires a trip to theThe fact is that glaucoma is a very serious eye
emergency room. An eye doctor needs to bedisease. Many people do not realize how serious
consulted immediately and if treatment is delayed,glaucoma can be. It is one of the leading causes
then eyesight can be permanently destroyed.of blindness in the United States. However, if it is
Acute glaucoma is extremely serious; however, ifcaught early, then it can be treated and in most
there is any positive aspect to this disease, thencases vision can be saved. Acute glaucoma has
that would have to be that with this type there isimmediate symptoms that cannot be ignored.
immediate knowledge that a problem is present.