Most cases of glaucoma are chronic, meaning it tends to develop slowly over the years, without showing any noticeable symptoms. It affects your peripheral vision first, working its way inward. Some people do experience mild symptoms, including blurred vision, or seeing rainbow-coloured circles around bright lights. Regular eye tests are the only way to stay on top of the condition and diagnose it before it reaches the centre of your vision when there's not much you can do.

Acute glaucoma works a little differently. It's not as common and could develop rapidly with a sudden and painful build-up of pressure in the eye. Unlike chronic glaucoma, you are likely to experience symptoms, including:

• Intense eye pain
• Redness in the eye
• Headaches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Tenderness around the eyes
• Seeing rings around lights
• Blurred vision

In this case, you'll need to get help as soon as possible so if your optician isn't free, call NHS 111, or your local Accident and Emergency department. Even if you go away, visit your optician as soon as you can, as chances are they might return.

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What is glaucoma?