During the admission assessment on a client with chronic bilateral glaucoma, which statement by the client would the nurse anticipate since it is associated with this problem?
A. “I have constant blurred vision.”
B. “I can’t see on my left side.”
C. “I have to turn my head to see my room.”
D. “I have specks floating in my eyes.”
Correct Answer: C. “I have to turn my head to see my room.”
Intraocular pressure becomes elevated which slowly produces a progressive loss of the peripheral visual field in the affected eye along with rainbow halos around lights. Intraocular pressure becomes elevated from the microscopic obstruction of the trabecular meshwork. If left untreated or undetected blindness results in the affected eye.
Option A: Central vision is one of the most common signs of glaucoma. The fluid inside the eye, called aqueous humor, usually flows out of the eye through a mesh-like channel. If this channel gets blocked, the liquid builds up. Sometimes, experts don’t know what causes this blockage. But it can be inherited, meaning it’s passed from parents to children.
Option B: The peripheral field of vision is most often lost in a client with glaucoma. The increased pressure in the eye, called intraocular pressure, can damage the optic nerve, which sends images to the brain. If the damage worsens, glaucoma can cause permanent vision loss or even total blindness within a few years.
Option D: Patchy blind spots in the peripheral or central vision of both eyes is a symptom of open-angle glaucoma. It is caused by the drainage channels in the eye becoming gradually clogged over time.