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High eye pressure (medically known as ocular hypertension) is difficult to diagnose, as it does not show any visible symptoms such as redness or eye pain. A diagnosis cannot be made using visual examination alone, so you will need to have your eyes examined by an eye specialist. He will use a combination of methods to identify ocular hypertension. Tonometry. This procedure is used to measure intraocular pressure in the eyes and gauge whether the level of pressure is still within normal limits. The eye is numbed and then an orange dye is inserted to help the specialist identify the level of pressure. A machine is used to measure the pressure in the eye by applying pressure to the eye. However, it's important to take the corneal thickness into account as people with thicker corneas may show falsely higher measurements. A reading of 21mmHg or higher usually indicates the presence of ocular hypertension. It's rare for someone with a reading of 30 mmHg or less to have glaucoma. However, other conditions can affect this reading, such as head or eye injuries or a buildup of blood behind the cornea. Air puff. With this procedure, the patient is asked to look straight into an apparatus while the specialist shines a light into the eye. The apparatus then sends a quick puff of air directly into the eye. A special machine reads the pressure by assessing the changes in the light reflections upon the strike of air into the eye. Ocular hypertension is associated with increasing age along with other factors. Several factors may contribute to the development of ocular hypertension, including: Excessive aqueous production. Aqueous humor is a transparent liquid manufactured in the eye. It drains from the eye by means of the trabecular meshwork. If excessive aqueous humor is produced, the pressure in the eye increases. Inadequate aqueous drainage. Improper drainage of aqueous humor can lead to increased eye pressure. Certain medications. Certain drugs (such as steroids) can cause ocular hypertension, especially in people with pre-existing risk factors. Eye trauma. Any irritation or injury to the eye can affect the balance of aqueous production and drainage from the eye and may result in increased eye pressure. Other eye conditions. Ocular hypertension is usually linked with other eye ailments such as pseudo exfoliation syndrome, corneal arcus, and dispersion syndrome. Anyone can develop high eye pressure, but studies show that the following groups are at increased risk of developing the condition: African-Americans. Individuals over the age of 40. Persons with a family history of ocular hypertension and glaucoma. People with thinner central corneal thickness measurements.
See an eye specialist for a diagnosis. Discuss potential causes of the condition with your doctor. Identify your risk factors for ocular hypertension.