High pressure in the eyes can lead to many serious conditions. It can develop ocular hypertension, which will develop glaucoma in people if they don’t treat it properly.
These will cause more damage to the eyes as there is no cure for both these conditions. Only certain treatments and diets are the only cure available to treat these conditions for now.
Key Takeaways
- Ocular hypertension presents elevated intraocular pressure without optic nerve damage or vision loss.
- If untreated, glaucoma involves increased eye pressure, causing optic nerve damage and potential vision loss.
- Ocular hypertension can be a risk factor for glaucoma, but not everyone with ocular hypertension develops glaucoma.
Ocular Hypertension vs Glaucoma
Ocular hypertension is a disorder characterized by increased intraocular pressure without optic nerve injury or loss of vision. Glaucoma is a collection of eye illnesses that cause optic nerve damage, resulting in vision loss and blindness, and is frequently caused by excessive intraocular pressure.
Ocular hypertension occurs in the eye area where the pressure inside the eye is higher than normal. Because of this, the front eye will not drain the fluid properly.
The lack of fluid will increase the pressure further. Since there are no symptoms of this condition, it would be good if you take a regular eye check-up to prevent this condition.
Glaucoma is an eye problem that happens due to optic never damage or ocular hypertension. Eating eggs will control glaucoma, and people should include them regularly in their diet.
Patients with glaucoma should also wear proper eyeglasses to see everything clearly. They should not ignore this condition. Taking a toll on your mental health and stress can also cause this condition.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Ocular Hypertension | Glaucoma |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | The pressure inside the eye will be higher | It is an eye problem that damages the optic nerve |
| Symptoms | There are not any specific symptoms. It will be common in people and many are not aware of it | It will create redness in your eye |
| Risk factors | Having high blood pressure or diabetes | People who are above the age of 60 |
| Treatment | Based on the pressure in your eye, they will prescribe either eye drops or surgery | It involves prescribed eye drops |
| Causes | It is caused because of the blockage in the drainage channels of the eye | It is caused due to damage to the optic nerve |
What is Ocular Hypertension?
It is a very serious condition, but there is no evidence of visual loss in patients who are diagnosed with ocular hypertension. But if they fail to take proper treatment and guidelines, they can develop glaucoma, a serious condition.
There are several reasons available for people who are developing ocular hypertension. Some of the reasons are having a family history of either ocular hypertension or glaucoma.
People who fail to manage their diabetes and high blood pressure can also develop ocular hypertension because these diseases will start to affect the eye areas if not maintained properly.
People who are above the age of 40 should be careful. People who have myopia and had eye injuries or surgeries in the past can also develop this.
Unfortunately, there is no cure available for this. If they properly care for and monitor their eyes, they can reduce eye risk.
There are some foods to be avoided if they have this condition, and they include caffeine, fats, and salt in their daily diet. Apart from that, they should also avoid foods that are allergic to them.
Even though adopting these changes is considered to be difficult, it will be worth it in the end than facing long-term complications. It is also referred to as increased intraocular pressure.
If you find any pain in the eye movement, you should visit the doctor immediately.
What is Glaucoma?
In glaucoma, the nerve which helps in connecting the eye will be damaged. This happens because of high pressure in the eyes. Damage to the optic nerve cause this condition.
Once the nerve starts to deteriorate gradually, blind spots will start to develop in your eyes. There is no cure for this condition. But people can control it by taking the prescribed medicines and avoiding foods that increase further damage to the eyes.
Laser procedures and surgical operations are some effective treatments for preventing further damage. There are types available for glaucoma. To identify the correct type, regular eye examinations are very important for preventing vision loss.
This condition can also happen if ocular hypertension turns severe. If glaucoma worsens, it can immediately cause total blindness within a few years. On average, people who don’t treat glaucoma can go blind within 10 to 15 years.
There are 5 early signs available to detect this condition, such as halos around lights, losing vision in either the right or left eye, eyes that look cloudy, light sensitivity, and sudden and severe pain in the eyes.
Taking foods that are rich in Vitamin A will control this condition. People should include this food in their diet. Drinking a glass or bottle of water quickly can also increase the pressure in the eyes. So, it is advised to drink the water slowly to avoid the risk.
Main Differences Between Ocular Hypertension and Glaucoma
- Ocular hypertension is an eye problem that happens due to the increase of pressure in the eyes. On the other hand, glaucoma is an eye problem that happens due to optic nerve damage or poor control of ocular hypertension.
- There are no specific symptoms available to detect ocular hypertension, and most people are not aware of it, and they can find it only in their eye check-ups. On the other hand, for glaucoma, if people find redness or pain in their eyes, they should check with the doctor.
- People who don’t maintain their blood pressure or diabetes can get ocular hypertension. On the other hand, people who are above the age of 60 can get glaucoma.
- The treatment for ocular hypertension involves laser procedures or surgeries depending on the pressure in the eyes. On the other hand, in glaucoma, the treatment involves eye drops.
- Ocular hypertension is caused because of the blockage of drainage channels in the eye. On the other hand, glaucoma is caused due to optic nerve damage.
- https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/11562
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/article-abstract/639521
Last Updated : 21 June, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
This piece felt like it was oversimplifying the severity of glaucoma. Many people who suffer from it have a hard time managing their lives.
I believe the author should have given more importance to the lack of symptoms in ocular hypertension.
I agree, and the lack of symptoms in ocular hypertension certainly adds a layer of complexity to early detection.
With this detailed information, I now realize that glaucoma is more serious than ocular hypertension. Very insightful.
I never realized before that the speed of drinking water can affect the eyes. A very interesting fact.
Absolutely, I will be more mindful of that from now on.
The comparison table was very helpful in distinguishing the two conditions. It makes everything clearer.
But the lack of symptoms in ocular hypertension can be worrying, as I might have it without even knowing it.
This article is a very comprehensive and useful piece for all of us concerned about our eye health. Thanks for sharing!
Some people might find it difficult to adhere to dietary restrictions, but the long-term benefits are undoubtedly worth it.
Absolutely, a small inconvenience in comparison to potential vision loss.
It’s all about raising awareness about these conditions so people understand their consequences.