What Causes Glaucoma? An increased IOP reading indicates a problem with the amount of aqueous humor (fluid) in the eye: either the eye is producing too much, or it's not draining properly. The drainage area is the angle formed between the cornea and the iris, which is why you see the word "angle" in the different glaucoma names. In chronic glaucoma, the aqueous humor can't make it through mesh work in the eye to the drainage channel. Risk factors for this type of glaucoma include: Age. In a major study, less than 1% of people age 60 to 64 had chronic open-angle glaucoma. Among people 10 years older, the prevalence more than doubled to 1.3%, and among those 80 to 84, it more than doubled again to 3%. Certain medical disorders. Diabetes, extreme nearsightedness and previous eye surgery are risk factors for chronic open-angle glaucoma. Additionally, if you have a condition that requires the use of oral or inhaled steroids, particularly high doses for prolonged periods, that can increase your risk as well. Ethnic background. Chronic glaucoma is four times more common in African-Americans than in whites. It also develops earlier: African-American risk starts to increase after age 45, white risk at age 60. Among whites, groups at higher risk include people with Scandinavian, Irish and Russian backgrounds. Family history. Like so many diseases, glaucoma tends to run in families; different genes, however, are involved in different families. Helpful Definitions: intraocular pressure -- (IOP) Eye pressure, as determined by the amount of aqueous humor filling it. High IOP (ocular hypertension) can be a sign of glaucoma. optic nerve -- Part of the eye that carries stimuli from the rods and cones to the brain. peripheral vision -- The edges of your visual field. ocular hypertension -- Condition in which the intraocular pressure of the eye is elevated above normal and which may lead to glaucoma.
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