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Symptoms of elevated eye pressure

Medical expert of the article

Ophthalmologist, oculoplastic surgeon
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025

Healthy vision is the key to a happy and fulfilling life. Therefore, the eyes need special care. Proper nutrition is important for healthy vision, as well as regular examinations by an ophthalmologist. Proper health care will help maintain sharp vision for many years. Increased eye pressure can be one of the reasons for partial or even complete loss of vision. Therefore, it is so important to know what the symptoms of increased eye pressure are.

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Symptoms of increased intraocular pressure

Increased intraocular pressure can lead to the development of various diseases of the visual organs, such as glaucoma. As a rule, at the initial stage of the development of this disease, the symptoms of increased intraocular pressure are not clearly expressed. But it is at the initial stage that glaucoma can be treated non-surgically.

Therefore, in order to detect increased intraocular pressure in a timely manner, you need to undergo a routine examination by an ophthalmologist at least once a year. As a rule, increased intraocular pressure is more common in people over forty years of age. There is a special fluid inside the eye that nourishes the cornea and other components of the eye. It circulates inside the eye, but it happens that the outflow of this fluid is disrupted, and it gradually begins to accumulate inside the eye. This leads to an increase in intraocular pressure in a person.

Various factors contribute to the accumulation of fluid inside the eye. One of them is obesity. Bad habits, a sedentary lifestyle and other factors can lead to this phenomenon. After all, our body is a single whole and all organs and systems in it are closely interconnected. A malfunction in one system inevitably leads to a malfunction in the entire body.

Among the symptoms of glaucoma is a narrowing of the visual field. This can be verified by undergoing special diagnostics in the ophthalmologist's office. Also, with glaucoma, a mesh may appear in front of the eyes, which blurs vision. The above symptoms may be accompanied by pain in the eyes or constant over-wetting of the conjunctiva of the eye. The eyes may become red and watery. Pain in the eye area or around the eyes may occur. All these symptoms should alert and prompt a person to contact an ophthalmologist for examination and diagnosis.

The first signs of increased eye pressure

How to recognize the first signs of increased eye pressure? One of the first symptoms is rapid eye fatigue. Since many people experience increased intraocular pressure after forty, they begin to attribute such fatigue to age and aging. But you shouldn't take risks. If you feel that something is wrong with your vision, consult an ophthalmologist.

Another symptom is decreased vision. And it can also be headaches. They can easily be attributed to migraines, but their cause may well be increased pressure inside the eyes. As a rule, these symptoms can appear and disappear, but never go away completely. This should alarm a person, because the first signs of increased eye pressure will help to identify the disease at an early stage and prevent its severe course.

It is important to understand that it is better to be on the safe side and check your eyes at the first suspicion of increased eye pressure than to subsequently undergo a long course of treatment or undergo surgery on the organs of vision.

What to do if you have symptoms of increased eye pressure?

So, first of all, if you suspect that you may have increased intraocular pressure, you need to see a doctor. During the examination, you will be asked to measure your eye pressure. It is important to understand that when measuring it, special drops will be instilled into your eyes. This may be Atropine - drops to dilate the pupil. For some time after this procedure, your vision will be blurred, so it is important not to go to the doctor by car and not to go alone.

What to do with symptoms of increased eye pressure if your suspicions are confirmed? A comprehensive approach to your health is important here. It is important to identify what led to increased pressure inside the eyes. If it is poor nutrition, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, then drug treatment should be supplemented with exercise, diet and getting rid of bad habits.

As a rule, doctors prescribe medications that additionally nourish the eyes. For example, a doctor may prescribe Xalatan drops. These drops help improve the outflow of fluid from the eyes. These drops should be instilled only once a day. At the same time, the dosage should not exceed one drop per eye. The drug can be administered to adults and elderly people. This drug is not recommended for children, since clinical trials for children have not been conducted.

Xaltan also has contraindications. There are two types of glaucoma. These drops cannot be used for closed-angle glaucoma. Childhood is also listed among the contraindications for the use of this drug. It also cannot be used to treat glaucoma if the patient has an intolerance or allergy to one of the components of the drug.

Another drug that can be prescribed for the drug treatment of glaucoma is Travatan. This drug, like Xaltan, is a prostaglandin, that is, a drug that helps fluid circulate better in the eyes and prevents its stagnation. This means it helps reduce intraocular pressure. Travatan also needs to be instilled only once a day, one drop in each eye.

Side effects may occur with an overdose of the drug. They manifest themselves in the form of redness of the eyes and irritation of the mucous membrane of the eye. Contraindications to the use of this drug include pregnancy, as well as childhood. If there is an allergic reaction to one of the components of the drug, it also cannot be used to treat glaucoma.

The next group of drugs used to treat glaucoma without surgery are cholinomimetics. These drugs narrow the pupil of the eye. Carbochol is one of these drugs. This drug should be used up to 4 times a day. In this case, 2 drops should be instilled into each eye at a time. These drops should not be used if there are any problems with the cornea of the eye. Side effects include burning and pain after instillation.

Another group of drugs for the medical treatment of glaucoma are sympathomimetics. These drugs act on the cells of the nervous system in the eye and help improve the outflow of aqueous fluid. One of these drugs is adrenaline hydrochloride. A 2 percent solution of the drug is used for treatment. As a rule, side effects from such treatment can occur one or more months after the start of its use. This solution is instilled 2 times a day. Hypertension is listed among the contraindications for use.

Along with the above-mentioned drug treatment of glaucoma, it is advisable to lead an active lifestyle. It can enhance the effect of such treatment and improve its results. Another method of treatment is eye surgery. But sometimes it is possible to get by with laser eye treatment. Therefore, the sooner you consult a doctor, the lower the risk of surgical intervention.

Understanding the essence of the problem and knowing the symptoms will help you avoid serious consequences for your vision. If you know the symptoms of high eye pressure, you can get examined by a doctor in a timely manner, cure this problem and maintain eye health.


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