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Do You Have Glaucoma? Know the Symptoms, Take Our Quiz

Understand the signs of this age-related disease that can lead to blindness

Christina Ianzito,

En español

Published September 24, 2020

/ Updated November 15, 2022

9 Questions

Do You Have Glaucoma? Know the Symptoms, Take Our Quiz

[ {
 "question" : "1. What causes glaucoma?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Excess glucose damaging the blood vessels in the retina",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "A build-up of pressure within the eye damaging the optic nerve ",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "An untreated infection in the retina",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Eyestrain and excessive screen time",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Glaucoma is caused by fluid building up in the front part of your eye, increasing pressure and damaging the optic nerve — a kind of electric cable that sends visual information from the eyeball to the brain.\n",
 "hint" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "2. What group has a higher-than-average risk for developing glaucoma?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "People 60 and older",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "African Americans",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Smokers",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "All of the above",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "In the U.S., those most at risk for glaucoma include older adults, people with diabetes or who smoke, African Americans, Hispanics and those with a family history of the disease.\n",
 "hint" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "3. What is the earliest sign of the most common glaucoma?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Seeing bright flashes of light",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Loss of peripheral vision",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "Loss of central vision",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Blurry vision and trouble seeing at night",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "The earliest symptom of the most common glaucoma, called open-angle glaucoma, is usually some loss of peripheral vision. Because it occurs gradually, some patients aren’t even aware of it until they have an eye exam.\n",
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}, {
 "question" : "4. What is angle-closure glaucoma (sometimes called narrow angle glaucoma)?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "A. Blocked fluid that results in sudden intense pressure in the eye",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "B. The closure of the pupil, blocking light and therefore vision",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "C. A fast-growing cataract, only allowing sight from the corners of your eyes",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "D. All of the above",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Angle-closure glaucoma, much less common than open-angle glaucoma, is a sudden pressure on the optic nerve caused by blocked fluid. Signs of an acute attack include sudden blurry vision, severe eye pain, a headache, nausea and/or vomiting and seeing rainbow-colored rings or halos around lights. Such symptoms should be checked by an ophthalmologist as soon as possible.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "5. How many Americans have glaucoma?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "About 3 million",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "Between 400,000 and 500,000",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Nearly 1.5 million",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "At least 20 million",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "About 3 million Americans have glaucoma, but only half are aware of it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is one of the top causes of blindness, along with diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and cataracts.\n",
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}, {
 "question" : "How is glaucoma typically cured?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Medication to decrease blood pressure",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "There is no cure for glaucoma",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "Laser surgery",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Eye drops and diet changes",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "There is no cure for glaucoma, but it can be managed and early intervention can prevent vision loss. Treatments include medicated eye drops to relieve pressure and laser surgery, which is not invasive and usually done at the ophthalmologist’s office or an outpatient facility. If eye drops and laser treatments aren’t doing the trick, or you can’t handle the side effects from medications, then your ophthalmologist may recommend conventional surgery to create a new way for fluid to leave the eye.\n",
 "hint" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "7. What is the best way to prevent the vision loss associated with glaucoma?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Eat lots of fruits and vegetables",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Wear sunglasses in bright light",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Get regular eye exams",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "Avoid eyestrain and too much screen time",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Regular eye exams can catch glaucoma early and allow for early treatment that can prevent its progression. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that adults, beginning at age 40 (especially if you’re African American and at higher risk for glaucoma), get regular comprehensive eye exams with an ophthalmologist. People who are 65 and older should get an eye exam every one to two years. Those with chronic conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, known eye diseases or other risk factors, may need to get checked more often.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "8. What else appears to lower the risk of glaucoma?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Regular moderate exercise",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Wearing eye protection when playing sports or engaging in activities that could injure the eye",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Keeping eyes lubricated",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Both A and B",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Regular moderate exercise may lower your risk of glaucoma by keeping eye pressure down, according to the Mayo Clinic. (You can also lower your risk by maintaining healthy habits like not smoking, and keeping blood pressure under control.) And serious eye trauma can lead to glaucoma, so be sure to protect your eyes with goggles or other eyewear when using power tools or playing potentially high-impact racket sports like squash.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "9. What is one prevalent theory about the derivation of the term glaucoma?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "It’s based on the Latin word for cloud",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "It derives from the ancient Greek word for “owl”",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "It’s based on the ancient Greek term for darkness ",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "It combines the Latin words for eagle and eye",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "In 400 BC the ancient Greeks described a blinding disease called glaucosis; some scholars believe that the term is based on the Greek word for owl, glaukos.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

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Christina Ianzito is a Washington, D.C.-based journalist who joined AARP in 2010. She’s the travel and books editor for aarp.org and AARP The Magazine and also edits and writes health, entertainment and other stories for aarp.org. She received a 2020 Lowell Thomas Award for travel writing.