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What
is Glaucoma?
Normal
eye: In a normal eye, aqueous humor is continuously
formed within and removed from the eye. The fluid
is actively secreted by the ciliary body into
the posterior chamber (between the iris and the
lens). From here, the fluid circulates through
the pupil and into the anterior chamber (between
the cornea and the iris). The aqueous humor then
drains out of the eye through the trabecular meshwork
and a special drainage system, called the canal
of Schlemm, located within the chamber wall.
Glaucoma eye: In an eye afflicted with
glaucoma, more aqueous humor is produced than
removed from the eye. This results in a build-up
of fluid and leads to a rise in intraocular pressure
(IOP). The increasing pressure in the anterior
chamber is transferred to all parts of the eye.
In time, elevated IOP can result in nerve damage
and a loss of peripheral vision. Glaucoma may
even lead to permanent blindness.
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