Chances Of Glaucoma?

Question

I have had headaches for a week now. They are not persistant just come and go throughout the day. I also have pain behind the eyes. The eye pain is dull and again it just comes and goes.

Non of the pains are extreme but they are annoying.

I had an emergency appointment at the doctors 2 days ago and he said he can't see nothing wrong with my eyes. I have large optic disks, but he said they are clean cut and in the event of a problem they would be distorted. My optemetrist checked me last month because a different doctor noticed the adnormal optic disks but the optememtrist along with my doctor said is physiological optic disk cupping.

I have been reading the symptoms of glaucoma and to be honest mine don't match. I have no vision loss, no halos, no blured vision. Nothing. Even people with glucoma said they didnt have my symptoms and its dont sound like i have it.

I am going to see my optemetrist monday to make sure. But very confused by this.

Anyone had this before?

Answer 1

A thorough professional check up recommended!

Answer 2

Acute narrow-angle glaucoma occurs suddenly, when the colored portion of your eye (iris) is pushed or pulled forward. This causes blockage of the filtration angle of the eye, where the trabecular meshwork allows outflow of fluids.

When internal eye structures are blocked in this way, your eye's internal pressure (intraocular pressure) may spike and possibly damage the optic nerve that transmits images from the eye to the brain.

Acute angle-closure (closed-angle or narrow angle) glaucoma produces symptoms such as eye pain, headaches, halos around lights, dilated pupils, vision loss (this is a slow progressive vision loss), red eyes, nausea and vomiting.

These signs may last for hours or until the IOP is reduced. With each narrow angle glaucoma attack, part of your peripheral field of vision may be lost.

Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a medical emergency. If the high pressure is not reduced within hours, it can damage vision permanently. Anyone who experiences these symptoms should contact an ophthalmologist immediately or go to a hospital emergency room.

Some chronic forms of narrow-angle glaucoma, however, can progress very slowly to cause eye damage without any obvious symptoms or pain in early stages.

Answer 3

See an Opthalmologist, not and optometrist.  They are so far ahead of the game, it's not funny.  They will cost more but your mind will be put at ease.

Answer 4

The doctors must of done a glucoma eye test. Was that negitive? Wear your glasses that could cause your headaches or too strong of a percription can.

Answer 5

It is definitely possible to have large optic discs and not have glaucoma.  If the optic discs progressively get larger, that could be a problem, so your doctor/optometrist may want to watch you to make sure they don't change.  If you have been seeing an eye doctor regularly (which I assume you have if you have glasses), then he/she should have noticed any problems.

It is true that most glaucoma patients don't know they have it until they see their doctors for something unrelated.  Unfortunately the damage to the optic nerve has to progress pretty far before visual field loss is noticable.

There is no "glaucoma eye test" that tells you if you have glaucoma or not, but there are tests that can help in the diagnosis.  A visual field test is one.  Your pressures should also be checked, which is part of a basic eye exam.  There can be a correlation between high eye pressure and glaucoma, but not all high pressures lead to glaucoma and not all glaucoma is caused by high pressures.

Angle-related glaucoma can occur, as another poster said, but checking the angle is also part of a routine eye exam.  It is especially important to do it before your eyes are dilated, so if you've had a dilated exam, you've had your angle checked.

The pain may be caused from not wearing your glasses.  With astigmatism, your eyes are straining all the time to focus, which can lead to headaches.  Hopefully your optometrist will be able to help.  :)  Good luck!

Answer 6

I've heard that glaucoma affects your peripheral vision.  A "visual field test" done by an ophthalmologist could be suggested.