Ocular Hypertension Causes

A clear fluid called aqueous humor flows inside the front of your eye. Your eye continually makes aqueous humor while an equal amount of it flows out of your eye. This keeps a constant healthy eye pressure.

If the aqueous humor does not flow out of the eye properly, pressure builds up and causes ocular hypertension. If high pressure causes damage to the optic nerve, it leads to glaucoma. Glaucoma causes vision loss.

An eye injury or certain eye diseases can cause ocular hypertension. Some medications (such as steroids) can also raise eye pressure.

Who Is at Risk for Ocular Hypertension?

Anyone can develop ocular hypertension, but some people have a higher risk for this condition. They include:

• those with family history of ocular hypertension or glaucoma
• people who have diabetes or high blood pressure
• people over age 40
• African-Americans and Hispanics
• people who are very myopic (nearsighted)
• people who take long-term steroid medications
• people who have had eye injuries or surgery
• those with pigment dispersion syndrome and pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXF)