3 Subtle Signs Your Glaucoma May Be Getting Worse

Living with glaucoma means staying alert to changes in your vision and eye health. While regular check-ups with your eye care team are essential, you also play an important role in monitoring your condition between appointments. Your eyes may give you subtle hints when glaucoma is progressing, and recognizing these early warning signs can help you take action before vision loss becomes more severe.

“People with glaucoma are their own best advocates when it comes to detecting changes in their condition,” said Diane Bovenkamp, Vice President of Scientific Affairs at BrightFocus Foundation. “These subtle warning signs are your eyes’ way of communicating with you between appointments—and listening to them can make all the difference in preserving your vision.”

The good news is that when caught early, worsening glaucoma can often be managed with treatment adjustments. Being aware of key symptoms and knowing when to contact your healthcare professional puts you in control of protecting your sight.

Seeing Halos Around Lights

One of the most common early signs that glaucoma may be worsening is seeing halos or rainbow-colored rings around lights. These halos often appear around streetlights, car headlights, or bright indoor lighting. You might notice them more at night or in dimly lit environments.

Halos occur when pressure inside your eye increases, causing the cornea (the clear front surface of your eye) to swell slightly. This swelling changes how light enters your eye, creating the halo effect. While halos can sometimes happen for other reasons, they’re particularly important to watch for if you have glaucoma.

What to do: If you start seeing halos around lights, especially if this is new for you, contact your eye care team. Don’t wait for your next scheduled appointment. This symptom could indicate that your eye pressure has increased and may need immediate attention.

Blurred Vision That Comes and Goes

Another warning sign is episodes of blurred vision that seem to come and go without an obvious cause. This isn’t the same as needing reading glasses or having trouble seeing far away. Instead, you might notice that your vision becomes hazy or unclear for periods of time, then seems to improve.

This type of blurred vision happens when increased eye pressure affects the optic nerve (the nerve that carries visual information from your eye to your brain). Unlike permanent vision changes, these episodes of blurriness can be temporary, which is why they’re easy to dismiss or ignore.

What to do: Keep track of when these blurry episodes happen. Note the time of day, how long they last, and any activities you were doing. Share this information with your healthcare professional, even if your vision seems fine during your appointment. These details can help them understand what’s happening with your eye pressure throughout the day.

Eye Pain or Discomfort

Eye pain is often overlooked because many people with glaucoma don’t experience severe pain. However, you should pay attention to any new or increased discomfort in your eyes. This might feel like a dull ache, pressure sensation, or mild throbbing around your eye or temple area.

The pain may be subtle and easy to attribute to other causes like stress, fatigue, or screen time. However, when glaucoma worsens, increased pressure inside the eye can cause discomfort that ranges from mild to more noticeable.

What to do: Don’t ignore eye discomfort, especially if it’s new or different from what you’ve experienced before. Contact your eye care team if you have ongoing eye pain, even if it seems mild. They can check your eye pressure and determine if your current treatment needs adjustment.

Taking Action When You Notice These Signs

Seeing halos around lights, transient blurred vision, and eye pain can be associated with angle-closure glaucoma, according to Dr. Bovenkamp, and may need immediate medical attention.

If you experience any of these symptoms, the most important step is to contact your eye care team promptly. Don’t wait to see if the symptoms go away on their own or assume they’re not serious because they seem mild.

When you call, be specific about what you’re experiencing. Describe when the symptoms started, how often they occur, and whether they’re getting worse. Your eye doctor may want to see you sooner than your next scheduled appointment to check your eye pressure and assess your current treatment plan.

Remember that glaucoma treatment is highly individual. What works for one person may need adjustment for another. Your eye care team can modify your eye drops, suggest additional treatments, or recommend lifestyle changes to help manage your condition better.

Summary

Recognizing the subtle signs that glaucoma may be worsening empowers you to take an active role in protecting your vision. Halos around lights, episodes of blurred vision, and eye discomfort are three key symptoms to watch for between your regular appointments.

The most important thing to remember is that early action makes a difference. These warning signs don’t mean your vision is doomed to worsen—they’re simply your body’s way of telling you that your glaucoma management may need attention. By staying alert to these changes and maintaining open communication with your healthcare professional, you’re taking positive steps to preserve your sight for years to come.

“When people understand what to watch for and feel confident about reaching out to their eye care team, they become true partners in their treatment—and that partnership is often what makes the difference between stable vision and progressive loss,” adds Dr. Bovenkamp.

Trust your instincts. If something feels different with your vision or eye comfort, it’s always better to check with your eye care team than to wait and wonder.