Which is an early sign of open-angle glaucoma?

Which is an early sign of open-angle glaucoma?

• A. Patchy blind spots in peripheral vision.
• B. Tunnel vision.
• C. Loss of central vision.
• D. Visual halos around lights.

Answer: (A)

Open-angle glaucoma damages retinal nerve fibers in a way that first narrows the visual field from the sides, creating patchy blind spots in the peripheral vision. This peripheral scotoma pattern reflects the slow, progressive loss of nerve fibers, and patients may not notice it right away, which is why it’s the earliest sign. As the disease advances, the field loss can become wider and more uniform, sometimes described as tunnel vision, but central vision tends to be preserved until late stages. Visual halos around lights can occur with very high intraocular pressure or corneal issues, but they are not typical early signs of open-angle glaucoma. Therefore, patchy blind spots in the peripheral vision best indicate an early stage of this condition.