Can glaucoma cause blindness?
Quick answer
Yes: untreated or poorly controlled glaucoma can lead to irreversible blindness, and it is, in fact, one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide.
Yes: untreated or poorly controlled glaucoma can lead to irreversible blindness, and it is, in fact, one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. This happens because optic nerve damage progresses steadily and, without treatment, doesn't stop on its own.
Risk is higher in people with a family history of glaucoma, those over 40, people of Black or Latino descent, those with high myopia or hyperopia, or those who already have elevated intraocular pressure. If any of these apply to you, a complete eye exam is the best form of prevention.
At Vision Clinic, in Tijuana, we follow each glaucoma patient closely for exactly this reason: to keep the disease from ever reaching that point.