A nurse is reviewing the chart of a 70-year-old client newly diagnosed with open-angle glaucoma. The client asks why the primary health care provider said the condition was 'silent' since they feel no pain in their eyes. How should the nurse best explain to the client why open-angle glaucoma is often referred to as a "silent" disease?
- Open-angle glaucoma primarily affects central vision first, making it difficult to read before any pain is noticed.
- Open-angle glaucoma causes gradual peripheral vision loss without pain, which is why it often goes undetected until significant damage has occurred.
- Pain is absent because the condition affects only the lens of the eye rather than the optic nerve.
- The condition only becomes painful when the intraocular pressure suddenly drops below normal levels.