Glaucoma is a condition which can affect sight, usually due to build up of pressure within the eye.

Glaucoma often affects both eyes, usually to varying degrees. One eye may develop glaucoma quicker than the other.

The eyeball contains a fluid called aqueous humour which is constantly produced by the eye, with any excess drained though tubes.

Glaucoma develops when the fluid cannot drain properly and pressure builds up, known as the intraocular pressure.

This can damage the optic nerve (which connects the eye to the brain) and the nerve fibres from the retina (the light-sensitive nerve tissue that lines the back of the eye).

Living with glaucoma

Loss of vision

In the UK, glaucoma is responsible for around one in 10 cases of visual impairment.

If you have some loss of vision due to glaucoma, more information is available on the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) website. The RNIB offers advice about:

Driving

·       If you have glaucoma, it could affect your ability to drive. It's your legal obligation to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) about a medical condition that could affect your driving ability.