Glaucoma is an eye condition usually caused by a build-up of fluid, leading to high pressure in the eye. This pressure can cause optic nerve damage. Glaucoma tends to affect your peripheral (side) vision first, meaning you might not notice it in the early stages. Symptoms usually appear slowly, so many people aren’t aware they have the condition. Early treatment is key to limiting the extent of sight loss with this common condition.
There are several types of glaucoma. If left untreated, advanced glaucoma can result in vision loss. You can find more information about the causes, symptoms and treatments of glaucoma on the NHS website.
In the following video, Siobhan shares her experience of living with glaucoma.
Loading video...
Although the damage glaucoma causes can’t be reversed, a diagnosis doesn’t have to mean you will lose your sight, or that you can’t live a normal life with glaucoma. The sooner it’s diagnosed, the sooner treatment can start to prevent further damage to the optic nerve and further loss of sight.
For many people with glaucoma, the biggest change in daily life will be taking glaucoma medications and having regular eye care check-ups. If your condition progresses and affects your sight, some adjustments can help you adapt and make daily life a bit easier.
Most people will need to take eye drops long-term or for the rest of their life. At first, you might want to set reminders, for example, on your phone to help you remember to take them. You could also take your medication at the same time as other things you already do routinely, like brushing your teeth.
At Guide Dogs, we have a wide range of services, both with and without guide dogs, and a team of experts who can work with you to understand your needs and agree on a plan that’s right for you.
The ways we could help you:
Enquire today, so we can help to find solutions that work for you
Please note: Whilst Guide Dogs may be able to suggest various third-party websites which may be able to assist you, those are not endorsed by Guide Dogs. Guide Dogs have no control over those third parties and cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information and support they can provide or the suitability and quality of any products or services they provide.
If your glaucoma causes significant vision loss that affects your daily life, that is considered a disability. You could also potentially register as sight impaired or severely sight impaired.
Although the damage glaucoma causes can’t be reversed, a glaucoma diagnosis doesn’t have to mean you will lose your sight. The sooner it’s diagnosed, the sooner treatment can start to prevent further damage to the optic nerve and further loss of sight. When glaucoma progresses and becomes more severe, it can result in 'tunnel' vision. It can also go on to affect central vision and the ability to see detail (visual acuity).
Although glaucoma can’t be prevented, it’s a good idea to follow an active, healthy lifestyle. Some activities can increase pressure in the eye (for example, some downward-facing yoga positions) and are best avoided. But on the whole, regular exercise and healthy eating are good lifestyle changes for your general wellbeing and eye health.
Learn more about making the most of your vision with macular degeneration.
Get advice for managing cataracts, the impact they can have on your vision in the future, and the support others have accessed.
Find out more about registering as visually impaired, and how you can continue to live independently with vision impairment.