Which of the following is true about glaucoma?

• A. It causes decreased intraocular pressure
• B. It is diagnosed by hearing tests
• C. It is characterized by increased intraocular pressure
• D. It is a temporary condition that resolves on its own

Answer: (C)

Glaucoma is a condition in which the optic nerve is damaged, typically linked to higher intraocular pressure from impaired drainage of aqueous humor. When the eye’s internal fluid doesn’t drain properly, pressure inside the eye rises and can gradually crowd and injure the optic nerve, leading to vision loss if untreated. That’s why increased intraocular pressure is the defining feature you’d look for in glaucoma, and clinicians use tools like tonometry to measure eye pressure along with examining the optic nerve and testing the visual field. It wouldn’t be diagnosed by hearing tests, it isn’t a temporary condition that resolves on its own, and the problem is not a decrease in eye pressure.