Answers to Your Questions About Ocular Hypertension

Ocular hypertension is an elevation of the pressure in the eye above the range considered normal with no detectable changes in vision or damage to the structures of the eye. The term is used to distinguish patient with above normal pressure from those who have glaucoma, a progressive disease of the eye. The cause of ocular hypertension is unknown.

Ocular hypertension must be carefully monitored because it may develop into glaucoma. Your doctor of optometry will recommend an interval between eye examinations appropriate for your condition.

Most patients with ocular hypertension will not develop glaucoma. However, because there is an increased risk of glaucoma in patients with ocular hypertension, it is very important to follow the recommendations of your doctor of optometry.

The decision to treat ocular hypertension will depend on various ocular and systemic risk factors, which your optometrist will discuss with you. Often, ocular hypertension is simply monitored with more frequent eye examinations and no immediate treatment. Some patients however may be treated with eye drips or other medicines as a precautionary measure; the effectiveness of this therapy is still being evaluated.

Unfortunately you cannot tell if you are developing ocular hypertension or glaucoma because they do not have any symptoms such as pain, a feeling of pressure in or around the eye or changes in vision. Ocular hypertension and glaucoma can only be diagnosed through a series of tests, including a measurement of your eye’s pressure and an examination of the inner structures of the eyes. This is primary reason why comprehensive eye examinations are so essential to your overall eye health.

While there is no cure for ocular hypertension or glaucoma, careful monitoring and treatment, when indicated, can lessen the risk of damage to your eyes. Thus, it is extremely important to comply with your optometrist’s examination schedule and treatment recommendations.