What typical symptom characterizes glaucoma?

The typical symptom that characterizes glaucoma is painless and progressive vision loss. This condition often develops slowly over time, which can lead individuals to be unaware of the gradual decline in their vision until significant damage has occurred. Glaucoma primarily affects the optic nerve, and as pressure builds within the eye, it can cause irreversible damage resulting in a loss of vision that often starts with peripheral vision and progresses to central vision if left untreated.

While intense eye pain, sudden flashes of light, and blind spots in peripheral vision may be associated with various other eye conditions or types of glaucoma (such as acute angle-closure glaucoma), they are not the hallmark symptoms of the most common form of glaucoma, which is open-angle glaucoma. The lack of pain and the slow progression of vision loss are key characteristics that differentiate glaucoma from other ocular issues, making it essential for regular eye examinations to catch the disease early.