Glaucoma

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Risk factors and diagnosis

People with a family history of glaucoma have about a six percent chance of developing glaucoma. Diabetics and Blacks are more prone to open angle glaucoma, and Asians are more prone to develop angle-closure glaucoma. Ideally, everyone over the age of thirty-five should be checked for glaucoma, with the frequency of the checkups increasing with age. Half the people who have glaucoma do not know that they have it.

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A number of studies suggest that there is a correlative, not necessarily causal, relationship between glaucoma and systemic hypertension (i.e. high blood pressure).

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Screening for glaucoma is usually performed as part of a standard eye examination performed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist. Testing for glaucoma should include measurement of the intraocular pressure, as well as examination of the optic nerve to look for any damage to it. If there is any suspicion of damage to the optic nerve, a formal visual field test should be performed. Scanning laser ophthalmoscopy may also be performed.

Related Topics:
Eye examination - Ophthalmologist - Optometrist - Optic nerve - Visual field test - Scanning laser ophthalmoscopy

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