I heard that glaucoma is a brain disease - should I be worried?

It can be confusing to hear that glaucoma is "a brain disease." This does not mean that something is "wrong with your brain."

It's really because glaucoma affects the optic nerve, which is an extension of the brain for visual function.

The reason it's an important understanding in glaucoma research is that it opens up more potential for detecting and treating glaucoma earlier in the disease process.