Glaucoma
Glaucoma Background
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Get access- A progressive optic neuropathy
- Second leading cause of blindness worldwide
- 1% over 40 and 3% over 70
European Glaucoma Society significant abnormalities
- Abnormal glaucoma hemifield test
- Three abnormal points p<5% level (one of which being <1% level) and none contiguous with the blind spot
- Corrected PSD <5% if the VF is otherwise normal (confirmed on two consecutive tests with no other retinal/neurological disease)
IOP measuring devices
- Goldmann applanation tonometry
- Calibrated for subjects with average CCT of 520 so greatly affected by deviation in CCT
- Reichart Ocular Response Analyser: automated, non-contact device
- Pascal dynamic contours tonometer: less affected by CCT than GAT
- Tono-Pen: affected by CCT but less by corneal curvature
- Icare: affected by CCT but less by corneal curvature (only device that does not need topical anaesthesia)
Subtypes of glaucomatous disc damage
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Type 1 focal ischaemic: focal notch in NRR with localised field defect
- Females
- Migraine
- Vasospasm
-
Type 2 myopic glaucomatous: temporal crescent without degenerative myopia
- Dense superior/inferior field loss
- Younger males
-
Type 3 senile sclerotic: shallow saucerised cup with sloping rim
- Elderly
- Hypertensives
- Cardiovascular disease
-
Type 4 concentrically enlarging: thinning of the entire rim without a notch, diffuse field loss
- High IOP at presentation
- Younger patients
-
Type 5 mixed
Grading glaucomatous damage
- Grade 1: minimal cupping, nasal step or paracentral scotoma, MD <-6bD
- Grade 2: NRR thinning, arcuate scotoma, MD <-12dB
- Grade 3: marked cupping, extensive field loss, including central 5 degrees, MD >-12dB
- Grade 4: gross cupping, small residual field
Parapapillary changes
-
Alpha zone: outer of the two
- Variable hyper- and hypopigmentation of the RPE.
- Occurs with same frequency in normal subjects as in POAG but is larger in POAG
-
Beta zone: inner of the two
- Represents loss of RPE and choriocapillaris
- Occurs with greater frequency in POAG
Disc haemorrhage differential
- Glaucoma
- PVD
- Diabetes
- BRVO
- Anticoagulation
Differential of glaucoma-like optic discs and visual fields
- Missed elevated IOP: diurnal, poor measurement technique, thin CCT
- Previous high IOP now resolved (eg. uveitic, steroid related)
- Hypotensive/shock optic neuropathy
- Compressive optic neuropathy: consider CT/MRI
- Ischaemic optic neuropathy
- GCA
- Macular degeneration
- Juxtapapillary choroiditis
- Myopia
- Demyelination
Gonioscopy grading
Shaffer: 0-4 (based on angularity)
- 0: angle closed
- 1: narrow angle, extreme (less than 10 degrees)
- 2: narrow angle, 10-20 degrees
- 3: wide open, 20-35 degrees
- 4: wide open, 35-45 degrees
Scheie: I-IV (based on visible structure)
- Wide open: all structures visible
- I: slightly narrowed, but ciliary body visible
- II: ciliary body not visible
- III: posterior half of trabecular meshwork not visible
- IV: no structures visible
Spaeth system
- More complex and includes notation for iris configuration and response to indentation