Canine glaucoma medically, although sometimes surgery is required. As the cause of primary glaucoma is often unknown, medical treatment is usually aimed at reducing the main sign of glaucoma (raised intraocular pressure) rather than at treating the cause of the disease. The aim of surgery in dogs with glaucoma is to reduce intraocular pressure. This is achieved by reducing aqueous humor production, or by improving drainage of aqueous humor from the eye. Laser surgery is often performed to selectively destroy the tissue, ciliary body, in an effort to reduce aqueous fluid production. Laser surgery can also be combined with placement of a
Glaucoma 2 million people in the United States. It occurs more commonly among older people. Closed-angle glaucoma is more common in women. Glaucoma has been called the "silent thief of sight" because the loss of vision usually occurs slowly over a long period of time. Worldwide, glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness after cataracts. The word "glaucoma" is from Ancient Greek "glaukos" which means blue, green, or gray. In English, the word was used as early as 1587 but did not become commonly used until after 1850, when the development of the ophthalmoscope allowed people to see the optic nerve