Our eyes need to be healthy for us to see well.​

Your eye has clear liquid in it.​

This keeps your eye the right shape.​

Glaucoma is a problem with the liquid in your eye.​

The liquid in your eye drains away and is replaced by fresh liquid.

If the liquid cannot drain away properly, there can be too much liquid in your eye.

Too much liquid causes pressure. 

This can damage your eye.

You should have an eye test every year with your optician.

The optician will tell you if they need to check for glaucoma.

Chronic glaucoma.​​

​This is the most common type of glaucoma.  

It usually happens slowly over time.

You may not notice any changes to your sight for years.

It affects what you can see to the sides when you look straight ahead.

​This is called peripheral vision.

Without treatment your eyesight will get worse.

An optician can find out if you have glaucoma before you notice a problem.

The optician will arrange for you to go to an eye clinic.

Secondary glaucoma.​​

This can happen after people have an eye operation or an eye injury.

Acute glaucoma.​​

​This is when glaucoma happens very quickly.

Acute glaucoma happens in a small number of people.​

How you can notice acute glaucoma:

• You have pain in your eyes

• You have bad headaches

• You feel very ill and are sick

• Your eyesight might suddenly become blurred or unclear

• You may become blind in one eye or both eyes

If these things happen you should go to hospital straight away.​

You are more likely to get glaucoma if:

• Someone in your family has glaucoma

• You are over 60 years old

• You are from a Black African background

• You are from a South East Asian background

• You have diabetes​

• You are very short-sighted

This means you need glasses for seeing things in the distance.

If you are more likely to get glaucoma it should be written in your support plan or health action plan.

Go and see your optician if you or your supporters think you may have glaucoma.

If you are over 40 and at risk of glaucoma you can get free eye tests.

This includes having a close family member who has glaucoma.

Many people on benefits can get free eye tests.

Ask your optician for more information.

You can also have an eye test every year if: 

• You have glaucoma

• You are over 40 and have a family member with glaucoma

• You have diabetes

We have a form called ‘About me and my eyes’.

You can fill it in and take it with you to your appointment.

Your supporter can help you fill it in. 

The optician can check for signs of glaucoma.

They can check how much pressure is in your eye.

The optician might use a machine that puffs air onto your eye.

The optician might put eye drops into your eye.

The optician then might use a machine that looks into your eyes with a blue light.

If you have glaucoma, the optician will arrange for you to go to an eye clinic for help.

You will get a letter telling you where to go.

Keep having eye tests with the optician as well as your hospital appointments.

Follow the advice from your optician and eye doctor.

You may be given eye drops to use every day.

Eye drops are the most common treatment.

SeeAbility has an easy read factsheet about eye drops.

You may be given tablets to take every day.

Some people need to have ​an operation.

You can choose whether to have an operation on your eye.

Our Eye Surgery Support Plan will help you to do this.

This guide has been made with Glaucoma UK.