Glaucoma is a two-pressure disease.

Glaucoma damages vision when sustained pressure strains the optic nerve headOptic Nerve HeadWhere ICP and IOP act on the optic nerve fibers as they exit the eye. Fluid pressure inside the eye (IOPIntraocular PressurePressure inside the eye, pushing outward against the optic nerve head) and fluid pressure around the optic nerve (ICPIntracranial PressurePressure from cerebrospinal fluid behind the eye, pushing forward against the optic nerve head) both matter. When the translaminar gradientTranslaminar pressure gradientThe pressure difference across the optic nerve head between IOP and ICP. A sustained gradient strains nerve fibers. between them stays elevated, nerve fibers are damaged and sight is lost, even when eye pressure looks acceptable on its own. Treating IOPIntraocular PressurePressure inside the eye, pushing outward against the optic nerve head alone leaves half the equation untouched. Over the past decade, the field has increasingly converged on this gradient as a primary driver of vision loss, and QMAX is built to address it directly.

Glaucoma is often called the silent thief of sight because it can progress with few or no early symptoms. Peripheral vision may narrow first; over time, untreated disease can lead to tunnel vision and irreversible blindness. Regular eye exams are essential because damage can occur before a person notices vision loss.