Types of glaucoma

Primary (called also chronic glaucoma) is common in the elderly and is the most common type of glaucoma.

Primary glaucoma can be open-angled and close-angled. It is characterized by an increase in intraocular pressure.

• Open-angled glaucoma is most frequent in people over 50 years of age. This type of glaucoma can affect vision so slowly and gradually that the patient may not notice it until the optic nerve is seriously damaged.
• Close-angled glaucoma means that normal drainage canals in the zone between the iris and cornea are not opened. This condition can be  chronic (progresses slowly or shows up constantly) or acute (shows up suddenly). In close-angled glaucoma there is a sudden increase in intraocular pressure, caused by the retention of fluid in the eye. Chronic close-angled glaucoma, like open-angled glaucoma, can cause vision damage without symptoms. On the other hand,  acute close-angled glaucoma is considered to be an urgent condition, as the damage to the optic nerve and consequent vision loss can appear hours after the problem first shows up.

Another type of glaucoma is Glaucoma with normal intraocular pressure It is characterized by progressive damage to the optic nerve and vision loss with statistically normal intraocular pressure. This type of glaucoma is connected to insufficient blood flow to the optic nerve, which causes its cells to die.

Pediatric glaucoma is rare and starts in early childhood or adolescence. In open-angled glaucoma few symptoms show up in early stages, but if not treated, blindness can occur. As most types of glaucoma, this one is considered hereditary.

Congenital glaucoma is a type of pediatric glaucoma which usually occurs soon after birth, even though it can be noticed later, in the first years of the child’s life. Unlike childhood glaucoma, congenital glaucoma has noticeable symptoms including tearing, light sensitivity and clouding of the cornea.

Secondary glaucoma

Develops as a result of trauma to the eye, tumors or advanced stages of cataracts or diabetes. It can also be caused by specific medication such as steroids. This type of glaucoma can be of medium or high severity. Treatment depends on whether it is open-angles or close-angled.