5 Early Signs of Glaucoma That Mimic Ordinary Vision Changes and Often Go Undetected

Halos Around Lights at Night

You notice a coloured ring around a streetlight or an oncoming headlight and assume your eyes are just tired. This is one of the earliest reported symptoms of angle-closure glaucoma. The halo forms because raised intraocular pressure distorts the cornea slightly, scattering light before it reaches the retina. A 2019 study published in the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology found that angle-closure glaucoma accounts for more than half of all glaucoma-related blindness in India, and a significant portion of those patients had reported night halos for months before seeking care. The halo from glaucoma tends to be rainbow-edged and consistent. The blur from a dirty lens clears when you blink. Glaucoma's halo does not.