Watch Out For These Early Warning Signs Of Glaucoma

Patchy Blind Spots

An individual who begins to experience the appearance of patchy blind spots may be affected by glaucoma. These patchy blind spots typically occur when an individual's glaucoma has progressed to the degree of causing their optic nerve to incur damage. The optic nerve is the component of the eye responsible for the transmission of visual information to the vision centers in the brain. The optic nerve contains over a million tiny nerve fibers that originate from the retina. The fluid an individual's eye produces (aqueous humor) is meant to drain from the eye through a net-like structure, and it then flows into the individual's blood stream. Most individuals affected by glaucoma have a problem with this system of aqueous humor drainage from the eye. The aqueous humor is unable to drain and begins to accumulate in the eye, compressing the small fibers of the optic nerve and other components of the eye. Over time, this malfunction leads to permanent damage as the optic nerve fibers begin to die off. This mechanism is what causes a glaucoma patient to see patchy blind spots in their peripheral vision.