Diseases

Ocular Hypertension

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Ocular hypertension means the pressure in your eyes — your intraocular pressure (iop) — is higher than normal. Left untreated, high eye pressure can cause glaucoma and permanent vision loss in some individuals.

SYMPTOMS

Because there are no symptoms with ocular hypertension, it is impossible for a patient to notice it on their own. However, if a regular eye exam schedule is maintained, an eye care professional can find it in routine testing.

CAUSES

Ocular hypertension is the result of inadequate drainage of the aqueous humor (a fluid inside the eye). Essentially, this means that too much fluid enters the eye without being drained, causing high amounts of pressure to build up.
It occurs most commonly in people with a family history of ocular hypertension, people who are shortsighted, and people with diabetes.