Open-angle glaucoma, by far the most common form, has no symptoms at first. The pressure in the eye builds up gradually. Closed-angle glaucoma may be acute or chronic. Symptoms may include severe pain, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, and seeing a rainbow halo around lights. Acute closed-angle glaucoma is a medical emergency and must be treated immediately or blindness could result in one or two days.
Damage occurs to the optic nerve even though eye pressure is in the normal range.
Congenital glaucoma is a condition where babies are born with defects that prevent the normal drainage of fluid from the eye. Juvenile glaucoma has conventionally been used to describe open-angle glaucoma in children, adolescents and young adults. Secondary glaucoma occurs as the result of some other medical problem, such as inflammation, a tumor, or eye injury. Pseudoexfoliation syndrome occurs when outer layers of the lens flake off and block normal flow of the aqueous humor. There also may be scarring that connects the iris to the cornea.