Glaucoma Symptoms:
What to Watch For
Most glaucoma has no symptoms at all until vision is permanently lost. That is exactly what makes it dangerous, and exactly why knowing the warning signs, and your risk factors, matters. Here is what glaucoma does and does not feel like, from the eye MDs of Upland.
The Uncomfortable Truth: Early Glaucoma Feels Like Nothing
Glaucoma damages the optic nerve, usually from elevated pressure inside the eye. In its most common form, open-angle glaucoma, the damage is painless and slow. The disease first destroys peripheral (side) vision in patterns so gradual that the brain fills in the gaps. By the time most people notice something is wrong, a large share of their optic nerve fibers are already gone, and lost nerve tissue does not grow back.
That is why "no symptoms" is not the same as "no glaucoma," and why a dilated eye exam with pressure measurement and optic nerve evaluation is the only reliable way to catch it early.
Symptoms of Advancing Open-Angle Glaucoma
- Gradually shrinking side vision (tunnel vision in late stages)
- Missing patches in your visual field, especially toward the nose
- Difficulty adjusting to dim light
- Bumping into things on one side, or trouble driving at night
- Needing frequent eyeglass prescription changes without clear reason
Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma: A True Emergency
A less common form, acute angle-closure glaucoma, is the opposite of silent. Pressure inside the eye rises suddenly and severely. This is a medical emergency that can cause blindness within days if untreated. Seek immediate care, the same day, if you experience:
- Sudden severe eye pain, often with headache on that side
- Blurred vision that comes on quickly
- Halos or rainbow-colored rings around lights
- A red, hard-feeling eye
- Nausea or vomiting along with eye pain
Who Is at Risk?
Glaucoma risk rises with age over 60, a family history of glaucoma in a parent or sibling, African or Hispanic ancestry, high eye pressure, thin corneas, significant nearsightedness or farsightedness, diabetes, long-term steroid use, and previous eye injury. If any of these apply to you, a yearly dilated exam is not optional; it is how sight gets saved.
Learn more about the disease itself on our glaucoma overview page, and about treatment options from laser therapy to minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS).
Fellowship-Level Glaucoma Care in Upland
Glaucoma care at Eye MDs of Inland is led by Dr. Robert Gunzenhauser, MD, a board-certified ophthalmologist and UCLA fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist, through our dedicated subspecialty division, Inland Glaucoma Center, located in this same Upland building. Diagnosis uses advanced imaging including 3D OCT scans of the optic nerve, so damage is caught at the earliest possible stage.
Schedule a Glaucoma Evaluation
Call 909-981-9800 or request an appointment online. Our office is at 1298 W 7th Street, Upland, CA 91786, with free parking behind the building.