Risk Factors That Can Lead To Glaucoma

Thin Corneas

An individual who has thin corneas is at an increased risk of developing glaucoma. Corneal thickness is a part of the body that tends to vary from one individual to the next. Thin corneas can be due to a genetic variation, or they may be the result of certain corrective surgical procedures done on the eye. The thin cornea itself is not what increases the affected individual's risk of glaucoma. It is the manipulations on technology by the thin cornea that causes the elevated risk. The pressure inside of an individual's eye is quantified by a specialized piece of equipment called a tonometer. The thickness of the cornea can impact the results of the tonometer, providing false high readings with a thicker cornea and false low readings for a thinner cornea. An important part of glaucoma treatment relies on early detection. Better visual outcomes are seen in individuals who medically intervened with high intraocular pressure early than those who had not. An individual who has thin corneas could have elevated intraocular pressure and require intervention to prevent glaucoma, but may not know it due to incorrect tonometer readings. This malfunction allows the problem to persist for a longer duration, which ultimately causes glaucoma to develop.

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