What is GLAUCOMA? Is it dangerous?

Glaucoma is the name of a group of diseases that can destroy the optic nerve, the main nerve of the eye. The word glaucoma means "hard eyeball".
Anyone of the conditions classified as glaucoma can lead to irreversible blindness by damaging the optic nerve.

Even though glaucoma cannot be cured, it can be treated. If it is spotted in it's early stages, before any sight is lost, blindness can almost always be prevented but the longer glaucoma remains untreated the more vision can be lost.

Glaucoma is considered a thief of eye sight. The only way to make sure that it doesn't sneak up is to have regular eye exams.
This is especially true for people who have

*family conditons
* are black
* are over age 40

Glaucoma is a group of diseases of the optic nerve involving loss of retinal ganglion cells in a characteristic pattern of optic neuropathy. Although raised intraocular pressure is a significant risk factor for developing glaucoma, there is no set threshold for intraocular pressure that causes glaucoma. One person may develop nerve damage at a relatively low pressure, while another person may have high eye pressures for years and yet never develop damage. Untreated glaucoma leads to permanent damage of the optic nerve and resultant visual field loss, which can progress to blindness
Glaucoma is the name for a group of eye diseases in which the optic nerve is damaged. In the worst cases, the damage can lead to blindness, but this need not happen if glaucoma is detected and treated early.

The most common type, called open angle glaucoma (or chronic simple glaucoma), affects around two in every hundred people over the age of 40, and becomes more common with increasing age
Glaucoma can cause blindness if it is left untreated
It is very dangerous, not to life, but to loss of eyesight. One can be blind very quickly. There is medication to use for it. It is expensive, but works
Hypertension is when your Blood Pressure increases, while Glaucoma is when your Intraocular pressure in the eyes increases. There are opthalmic drops being given by opthalmologist to control the pressure. Its a case to case basis. Follow up is needed.
I have it I have to put drops in both eyes at night because the pressure is to high in the eyes if not it can cause me to lose my eye sight
Most of these answers above are about right regarding Glaucoma. You will find my answer more explanatory, and not just copy and pasted.

Ganglion cells in the retina convert analog visual information from amacrine and bipolar cells. They are the last visual cells in the chain of the retina. They transfer pulsed electrical signals (action potential) from the retina via dendrites (wires) that lead into the optic disc, the beginning of the optic nerve that connects the eye to the brain. There is a hump at the edge of the optic disc from the bunching of dendrites. These dendrites bend into the hole of the optic disc.

The eye is pressurized of mostly water. Most eyes have a stable intraocular pressure, or IOP, around 19 psi. Pressure is regulated by channels near the iris that open and close at various angles, allowing water exchange. When an angle stays open too long (open angle glaucoma), too much water gets into the vitreous chamber and increases pressure. When the pressure gets to around 24 psi, it squishes the dendrites of the ganglion cells, pinching and damaging them at the hump, described above, leading to vision loss. This is Glaucoma.

Pressure can be alleviated with various topical solutions or drugs, including cannabis, or pot.

So if you see your Grandma smoking a bong, don't get too mad at her.