Overview

Fluid builds up in the anterior part of your eye. This excess fluid leads to an increase in intraocular pressure over time, which damages your optic nerve. Glaucoma is of many types, like Open-angle glaucoma, Closed-angle glaucoma, Normal-tension glaucoma, Congenital glaucoma, and pigmentary glaucoma.

Causes

Aqueous humour, fluid within the eye, nourishes the lens and cornea cells, maintaining pressure for good vision. The obstructed flow of aqueous humour can lead to glaucoma, affecting intraocular pressure. Glaucoma can be caused by various other factors, including. 

• Family history

• Other associated diseases, like systemic hypotension 

• Diabetes mellitus 

• Eye diseases 

• Burns

• Chemical injuries 

• Severe eye infections 

• Retinal diseases cause abnormal vessels on the retina.

Symptoms

Glaucoma initially appears asymptomatic, but may progress to cause symptoms like 

• Peripheral vision loss 

• Loss of side vision 

• Glare or halos in bright light 

• Redness 

• Eye pain 

• Hazy eyes 

• Narrow vision

• Vision loss

Ayurvedic View

Adhimantha- This roga comes under sarvagata netra roga, meaning disease affecting all parts of the eye. Here, aggravated dosha, namely, vata, pitta, or kapha, takes sthana (settles) in akshi (eye), causing teevra shoola (severe pain in the eye). It's a disease that is difficult to manage when left untreated, leading to drushti nasha (loss of vision). This is glaucoma, which is the next stage of abhishyandi (a disease where there is discharge from the eyes). The Ayurveda approach is to bring prakupita (aggravated) dosha back to a balanced state, prevent further complications from occurring in this disease, and maintain healthy vision in an individual by following Ayurvedic panchakarma treatment and treatment for the eye.