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Intraocular pressure (IOP) is the level of fluid pressure inside your eye. Your eye constantly makes fluid and drains it. This fluid helps your eye function normally. To ensure a balance between the amount of fluid that is made and fluid that is drained, pressure in the eye is required. High eye pressure can occur when the eye’s drain becomes clogged.
Whatever the cause of the elevated pressure, when it gets too high for the optic nerve, the eye’s nerve cells become damaged and eventually die. The death of these cells result in permanent visual loss.
High eye pressure is the most important risk factor for glaucoma, although it is possible to develop the condition without it. Increased eye pressure means you have an increased risk for glaucoma, but does not mean you have the disease. A person has glaucoma only if the optic nerve is damaged. People with high pressure can still have healthy eyes. On the other hand, people with relatively low pressure can still have glaucoma.
Lowering eye pressure in glaucoma's early stages offers the best chance of preserving your vision.
High eye pressure often does not hurt. You usually can’t see or feel the pressure in your eye. Only an eye specialist can do a test to measure eye pressure. That is why regular eye exams are so important.
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