glaucoma: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Not exactly. High intraocular pressure is a major risk factor, but glaucoma refers to the actual damage to the optic nerve. Some people have high pressure without nerve damage (ocular hypertension), and others have nerve damage with normal pressure (normal-tension glaucoma).

No, there is no cure. The damage to the optic nerve is irreversible. However, the disease can almost always be managed effectively with eye drops, laser treatment, or surgery to lower eye pressure and prevent further vision loss.

Major risk factors include age (over 60), family history of glaucoma, high intraocular pressure, certain ethnicities (e.g., people of African, Hispanic, or Asian heritage are at higher risk for certain types), and conditions like severe near-sightedness or previous eye injury.

The most common type (open-angle) has no early symptoms. Peripheral vision loss occurs gradually and may go unnoticed until significant damage is done. Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a medical emergency with sudden symptoms like severe eye pain, headache, nausea, and blurred vision.

A serious eye disease that damages the optic nerve, often caused by abnormally high pressure inside the eye, which can lead to irreversible vision loss.

Glaucoma is usually technical/medical in register.

Glaucoma: in British English it is pronounced /ɡlɔːˈkəʊmə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡlɔˈkoʊmə/ or /ɡlaʊˈkoʊmə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.