When there’s too much pressure within an otherwise healthy eye – usually caused by fluid buildup – it’s called ocular hypertension (OHT).
While it does not always require treatment, OHT can lead to very serious optical conditions. Worse, basic ocular hypertension often has no symptoms of its own, no pain or vision problems. It just quietly happens, while opening the door to major problems such as glaucoma.
What Is Ocular Hypertension?
In short, it is caused when your eye produces too much of a fluid called aqueous humor. This is the fluid within your eye, and normally the body produces a constant amount which is cycled in and out of the eye.
However, if your body creates more aqueous humor than flows out, it will increase pressure within the eye. While extreme situations can cause pain from the increased pressure, usually it’s mild enough to go unnoticed.
The Link Between Ocular Hypertension and Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a dangerous disease of the eye where prolonged high pressure causes damage to the optic nerve. That’s the part in the back of the eye, where images are focused and sent on to the brain. Any damage to that nerve will directly lead to reduced vision.
So it’s easy to see how OHT can lead to glaucoma.
Glaucoma is one of the most common ocular diseases in the world, with an estimated 80 million people suffering from it – and the numbers are going up. Within 10-20 years, there will likely be over 100 million people with glaucoma, and over 20 million of them going blind from it.
Aside from OHT, other risk factors for glaucoma include:
- Age. Older people are more susceptible than the young.
- Family history of glaucoma.
- A thin cornea, the outer layer of the eye.
- Extreme short-sightedness.
Glaucoma symptoms – such as ocular hypertension – can easily go unnoticed for many years. It only becomes obvious to the patient after their eyesight is affected. Unfortunately, once damage is done to the ocular nerve, it’s difficult to undo.
Glaucoma is much easier to treat if caught before it affects your vision – which is one more reason you need regular eye exams! An optometrist can quickly test for OHT and glaucoma, and work with you to prevent damage if symptoms are found.
So if it’s been more than a year since your last eye checkup, contact Valley Eyecare Center for an exam. It truly could save your vision.
