PBL 1 Flashcards
what is glaucoma?
a group of eye diseases caused by intraocular hypertension which can damage the optic nerve and, if left untreated, can lead to blindness
at what age is glaucoma most common?
between 70s and 80s
what is considred a high intraocular pressure?
> 21mmHg
what are the 2 causes of increased intraocular pressure?
blocking of the aqueous humor drainage pathway or an increased aqueous humor production
what are symptoms of glaucoma?
peripheral vision loss
blurred vision
seeing rainbow coloured circles around bright lights
what are risk factors for glaucoma?
raised intraocular pressure being >60 family history being black, asian or hispanic corticosteroid use myopia (short sightedness) type 2 diabetes hypertension CVD
how is glaucoma diagnosed?
tonometry - assess intraocular pressure
visual field testing
imaging or directly observing for optic nerve damage (often see cupping of the optic nerve)
why do we often see cupping of the optic nerve in glaucoma?
as we get thinning of the outer rim of the nerve, givving it a cup shape
what are the 5 types of glaucoma?
open angle closed angle normal tension secondary congenital
what is congenital glaucoma?
a developmental glaucoma occurring before the age of three years due to an obstruction that prevents adequate drainage of aqueous humor caused by abnormal development of the trabecular meshwork (TM) and anterior chamber angle
what are some underlying eye conditions that can cause secondary glaucoma?
steroid use, eye injury, uveitis
what is normal tension glaucoma?
a form of glaucoma in which damage occurs to the optic nerve without eye pressure exceeding the normal range.
what is considered a normal pressure rnage for intraocular pressure?
12-22 mmHg
what is open angle glaucoma?
when the angle of the anterior chamber is open but the drainage system slowly becomes clogged over time so we get a gradual increase in intraocular pressure and therefore gradual damage to the optic nerve. This begins as atrophy of the outer rim of the nerve causing a decrease in peripheral vision but as pressre increases we get continued damage which eventually will lead to a loss of central vision too
what is closed angle glaucoma?
when the angle of the anterior chamber is too small so the aqueous humor outflow path is too narrow which leads to a rapid build up of pressure in the eye which can cause an abrupt onset of symptoms
