Glaucoma is an eye disease wherein the optic nerve is damaged due to abnormally high pressure in the eyes. Glaucoma causes irreversible blindness and is often seen in people over 60 years of age.

Several types of glaucoma have no warning symptoms, and they are only diagnosed at an advanced stage. The symptoms of glaucoma typically include blind spots in the eye, tunnel vision, headache, eye pain, nausea, vomiting and halos in vision.

Glaucoma is a result of damage to the optic nerve due to high pressure in the eye. Several genes that can cause damage the nerve have been identified. Other risk factors of glaucoma include diabetes, heart diseases, advanced age, prior eye surgery, strong family history of glaucoma and long-term corticosteroid therapy.

Some forms of glaucoma has a genetic factor associated with it. People with diabetes, heart diseases, advanced age, prior eye surgery, a strong family history of glaucoma and long term corticosteroid therapy are more prone to develop glaucoma.

Glaucoma can be diagnosed upon an eye examination using a tonometer to measure intraocular pressure. A dilated eye examination can identify the optic nerve damage. Other visual field tests, such as pachymetry to measure corneal thickness and gonioscopy to measure the drainage angle, are also performed.