IN 1984 , Jeanette Simpson-Edwards was diagnosed with glaucoma at age 31 . An ophthalmologist told Simpson that prescription eye drops should help resolve the condition without causing any damage to her vision . Not noticing any vision problems , Simpson says she often neglected using the drops .

Thirteen years later in 1997 , still symptom-free , she saw an optometrist for eyeglasses . The optometrist noticed that the untreated glaucoma had caused Simpson ’ s optic nerve to deteriorate . Simpson began to use the eye drops again , but symptoms of the glaucoma still didn ’ t appear until 2008 — a full 24 years after her initial diagnosis . “ Suddenly I wondered why I was bumping into things and running into curbs ,” Simpson recalls .

Today , Simpson , who lives in Noblesville , Ind ., has lost parts of her peripheral vision and has undergone laser

treatments to reduce swelling and pain in her eyes . She has regular headaches because her eyes tire quickly as she struggles to focus beyond the blurring .

Though many people experience both headache and eye pain , it is often unclear whether the two conditions are directly linked . Following are three conditions that can cause vision problems and head pain : glaucoma , pituitary apoplexy and giant cell arteritis . Evaluation by a medical specialist can reveal these conditions early , before headaches worsen and vision deteriorates .

GLAUCOMA

In a normal eye , the fluid behind the iris is able to enter and exit as it needs . With glaucoma , that fluid can be blocked , creating a build-up of pressure in the eye that damages the optic nerve and causes pain . If left

unchecked , it can cause vision loss , blindness and headaches .

There are four types of glaucoma :

1 . CHRONIC OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA : This type of glaucoma is the most common and involves a slow buildup of pressure over time . That slow increase , combined with a lack of symptoms , often means that the patient doesn ’ t notice a problem until the damage has already been done , notes the National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) in PubMed Health .

Despite a lack of symptoms , a routine eye exam could reveal the condition , as was the case for Simpson . By dilating the pupils and using a gonioscopy ( a mirrored prism used to view the inner workings of the eye , not generally used unless the physician suspects glaucoma ),