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Diagnosis of Glaucoma


The diagnosis of glaucoma involves certain tests such as:

  • Tonometry: Tonometry is a test wherein the intraocular pressure is measured by numbing the eye via some drops. This is a simple and painless procedure and is used as the initial screening test for glaucoma.
  • The doctor will also conduct a test to check on the fibers that are present in the optic nerve. This test is done via the use of certain instruments that enable the doctor to look at the back of the eye through the pupil. This test will reveal changes, if any, which could act as indicators to the onset of glaucoma.
  • A visual field test is also conducted to check whether the peripheral or side vision of the person has also been affected by glaucoma.
  • The next test that aids in the diagnosis of glaucoma is pachymetry wherein the doctor will first numb the eyes and then determine the thickness of each cornea. If the person’s cornea is thicker than normal then their eye pressure reading will also be higher even though they may not be suffering from glaucoma. Alternatively, the person may have normal pressure readings and thin corneas but may still be suffering from glaucoma.
  • There are some other tests as well that are used in the diagnosis of glaucoma such as gonioscopy which helps in distinguishing between angle closure and open angle glaucoma as well as a test known as tonography which measures the rate at which fluid drains from the eye.


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References
  1. David F. Garway-Heath, Early diagnosis in glaucoma, In: Carlo Nucci, Luciano Cerulli, Neville N. Osborne and Giacinto Bagetta, Editor(s), Progress in Brain Research, Elsevier, 2008, Volume 173, Pages 47-57, ISSN 0079-6123, ISBN 9780444532565, 10.1016/S0079-6123(08)01105-9.
  2. M. Mozaffarieh, M.C. Grieshaber, S. Orgül, J. Flammer, The Potential Value of Natural Antioxidative Treatment in Glaucoma, Survey of Ophthalmology, Volume 53, Issue 5, September–October 2008, Pages 479-505, ISSN 0039-6257, 10.1016/j.survophthal.2008.06.006.
  3. Matthias Monhart, What Are the Options of Psychophysical Approaches in Glaucoma?, Survey of Ophthalmology, Volume 52, Issue 6, Supplement, November 2007, Pages S127-S133, ISSN 0039-6257, 10.1016/j.survophthal.2007.08.007.