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What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a host of conditions that cause damage to the optic nerve, usually due to abnormally high pressure inside the eye. This is a result of too much fluid production or less-than-ideal drainage of aqueous humor; commonly referred to as Intraocular Pressure.

The optic nerve carries visual information back to the brain. This nerve, when damaged, may cause loss of vision permanently. At its extreme, an untreated case might even lead to complete loss of sight. Several forms of Glaucoma have been identified, and it is open-angle Glaucoma that is most commonly developed. 

In Ayurveda, glaucoma is similar to ‘Adhimantha’; caused mainly by an imbalance of your body's natural energies or doshas. Ayurveda considers that glaucoma usually begins with Abhishyanda (inflammation and blockage of eye channels). This blockage causes accumulation of toxins in your body and in the channels of your eyes. When this occurs, pressure builds up in your eyes and damages your optic nerve.

Mostly, open-angle Glaucoma begins as a slow-occurring, pain-free disease process without easily notable symptoms. Likewise, angle-closure Glaucoma tends to develop acutely with sharp ocular pain, hazy vision, and nausea. A prompt eye examination can help with appropriate diagnosis of Glaucoma at an early stage.

What Are the Types of Glaucoma?

You may not know this but glaucoma actually is a very complicated health condition. There are many kinds of Glaucoma and understanding which one you have can help you and your doctor choose the best treatment. The primary types you should know about are:

1. Open-Angle Glaucoma

The most common type is open-angle glaucoma. This is the most common among adults. In this, you won't usually feel pain or have symptoms early on. The drainage channels in your eye stay open but the fluid does not drain out. This eventually builds up pressure and damages your optic nerve. You might lose your side (peripheral) vision first. This can be caught early with routine eye checkups.

2. Angle-Closure Glaucoma 

This is a less common but more serious type. It occurs when the drainage angle becomes blocked suddenly in your eye. You might suddenly experience severe eye pain, headaches, blurry vision or halos around lights. Some people also feel nauseous or vomiting. This is considered a medical emergency and you should immediately get help to avoid permanent vision loss.

3. Normal-Tension Glaucoma

In this case, your eye pressure stays normal but your optic nerve is damaged. Doctors do not understand why this happens although it's more typical if you have a family history of glaucoma or thin corneas.

4. Secondary Glaucoma 

This type generally happens because of other health problems like diabetes, eye injuries, or due to certain medicines like steroids. As per Ayurveda, this kind of glaucoma can be best controlled by dealing with the underlying problem.

5. Congenital Glaucoma 

This is a rare form of glaucoma seen in children and babies. You may notice your child has cloudy eyes, large-looking eyes, is frequently tearing or facing light sensitivity. You should always get this treated early to preserve their sight.

Types of Glaucoma as per Ayurveda

Ayurveda classifies glaucoma into several types depending on which dosha is most disturbed: 

1. Vataja Adhimantha: In this, you may feel dryness, roughness, pain around the eyes and forehead and also experience hearing disturbances.
2. Pittaja Adhimantha: In this type, you may experience redness, burning sensations, swelling of eyelids, yellow vision, headaches and fainting.
3. Kaphaja Adhimantha: In Kaphaja Adhimantha, you might feel heaviness, coldness, excessive tearing, itching and a sticky feeling in your eyes.
4. Raktaja Adhimantha: Your eyes may be red and sensitive, and sometimes it may bleed with severe inflammation.

Common Causes of Glaucoma

Glaucoma is basically caused by the inflammation of the optic nerve in your eye, usually because of high pressure within the eye. This damage can steal your vision, starting from the edges and moving inwards. Let us understand why this problem occurs.

Fluid Buildup Inside the Eye: Your eye makes a fluid called aqueous humor that is important for your eye health. This fluid drains out via a trabecular meshwork drainage system. If the fluid drains too slowly or not at all, the pressure within your eye rises. This increased pressure eventually damages your optic nerve.

Common Risk Factors of Glaucoma

The risk of developing glaucoma may be greater in case :

• You have a family history of glaucoma, particularly siblings.
• You are more than sixty years old.
• You have a thinner cornea than normal.
• You have a large or a thin optic nerve.
• You are of Asian origin (higher angle-closure glaucoma risk).
• You have long used steroid medications.
• You had previous eye injuries or surgeries.