How is open-angle glaucoma diagnosed?

Diagnosis is by ophthalmoscopy, gonioscopy, visual field examination, and measurement of central corneal thickness and IOP. Treatment includes topical drugs (eg, prostaglandin analogs, beta-blockers) and often requires laser or incisional surgery to increase aqueous drainage.

Can you have glaucoma without optic nerve damage?

Normal-tension glaucoma (NTG), also known as low tension or normal pressure glaucoma, is a form of glaucoma in which damage occurs to the optic nerve without eye pressure exceeding the normal range.

Is glaucoma an optic neuropathy?

As a medical condition glaucoma is undeniably a collection of progressive optic neuropathy syndromes with distinctive structural changes to the optic nerve head (ONH), specific nerve fiber bundle atrophy patterns, and continual visual field loss over time.

How serious is open-angle glaucoma?

Over time, this high eye pressure damages the optic nerve in the back of the eye, leading to permanent vision loss. Left untreated, open-angle glaucoma can eventually cause blindness.

What is the meaning of open-angle glaucoma?

Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease. The drainage angle formed by the cornea and iris remains open, but the trabecular meshwork is partially blocked. This causes pressure in the eye to gradually increase. This pressure damages the optic nerve.

Is glaucoma ever misdiagnosed?

Although glaucoma is the main cause of disc cupping, 20\% of the patients can be misdiagnosed [10].

Can you have narrow angles without glaucoma?

Although not everyone with narrow angles actually develops glaucoma, careful evaluation of the angle structure can identify who is at greatest risk. The angle structure is determined by an examination called gonioscopy which is performed with a special contact lens called a gonioprism.

What else could it be besides glaucoma?

Conditions that can be mistaken for glaucoma include compressive or infiltrative lesions of the optic nerve, previous ischemic optic neuropathy (both arteritic and non-arteritic), congenital and hereditary optic neuropathies, post-traumatic optic neuropathy and inflammatory and demyelinating optic neuritis.

Does glaucoma cause retinal thinning?

Glaucoma is associated with characteristic damage to the optic nerve and patterns of visual field loss which principally involves the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs).