Glaucoma

It starts with understanding glaucoma

Better treatment choices begin with understanding the disease.
We've summarized what glaucoma is and how it is diagnosed and treated, based on materials from the Korean Glaucoma Society.

What is glaucoma?

What is glaucoma?A look at the disease in which damage to the optic nerve gradually narrows your field of vision.Read more →What causes it?We look at eye pressure and the other factors linked to glaucoma.Read more →What are the symptoms?Why it is hard to notice early on, and how things change as it progresses.Read more →What types are there?How the types differ, including open-angle and angle-closure glaucoma.Read more →

How is glaucoma diagnosed?

What the tests checkWhat doctors look at during diagnosis, from eye pressure readings to visual field tests and optic nerve imaging.Read more →

How is glaucoma treated?

What treatment aims forThe goal is not to reverse optic nerve damage, but to slow its progression.Read more →Lowering eye pressure with eye dropsThe first treatment usually tried, and what to keep in mind when using it.Read more →Improving outflow with laserAn option considered when medication alone isn't enough to control pressure.Read more →Creating a new drainage pathWhen surgery is needed, and the most common approaches.Read more →Managing it day to dayHow often to get checked, and what to watch for in daily life.Read more →

Glaucoma Q&A

Common questions about living with glaucoma.

Yes. Optic nerve damage can progress even when eye pressure is in the normal range. That's why doctors look at visual field tests and optic nerve imaging, not just the pressure reading.

Having a family member with glaucoma is known to raise your risk. If a parent, sibling or child has been diagnosed, it's a good idea to start regular check-ups earlier.

It depends on how far the disease has progressed and how well your pressure is controlled. Typically it's every six months to a year, but follow the schedule your doctor sets.

Missing one day won't immediately harm your vision, but your eye pressure will rise again. Use your drops as soon as you remember, then go back to your usual schedule.

Because surgery aims to lower eye pressure, some patients can reduce or stop their drops afterward. That decision depends on whether your pressure stays within the target range.