Risk factors for glaucoma: what do they really mean?

Abstract

Glaucoma is an insidious eye disease, potentially putting 4% of older Australians at risk of blindness, unless detected sufficiently early for initiation of effective treatment. This paper reports on the strengths of evidence and glaucoma risk factors that can be identified by primary health care providers from a patient's history. A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed databases identified relevant secondary evidence published between 2002 and 2007. Risk factors that could be determined from a patient's history were identified. A novel glaucoma risk factor reference guide was constructed according to evidence strength and level of concern regarding risk of developing glaucoma. The evidence is strong and consistent regarding the risk of developing glaucoma, and elevated intraocular pressure, advancing age, non-Caucasian ethnicity and family history of glaucoma. There is moderate evidence of association with glaucoma, and migraine, eye injury, myopia and long-term use of corticosteroids. There is conflicting evidence for living in a rural location, high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. Early detection of people at risk of developing glaucoma can be initiated using our risk factor guide coupled with a comprehensive patient history. Timely future assessment and subsequent management strategies for at-risk individuals can then be effectively and efficiently actioned.

Choroidal thickness measurements in migraine patients during attack-free period

“…Since ophthalmologists often come across with eye related migraine complaints such as periorbital pain or visual auras, they have long been studying the mechanisms of this mysterious disease [26]. As a result, there are several studies available in the ophthalmic literature revealing relationship between migraine and dry eye, glaucoma, optic nerve/visual field changes and peripapillary retinal thinning [27][28][29][30]. As the vasogenic theory [31] is one of the two competing theories dominating the discussion of migraine pathogenesis, the choroid-being the highly vascular structure of the eye-has become the center of interest.…”

Sekundärerkrankungen bei hoher Myopie

“…Trotz der frühen Beschreibungen eines möglichen Zusammenhangs muss die große Achslänge als Risikofaktor des Offenwinkelglaukoms durchaus differenziert diskutiert werden [20,50,164]. Es gibt zwar zahlreiche Arbeiten wie die von Nagaoka et al [104], die eine Risikoerhöhung (um den Faktor 3,2x) für die Situation beschreibt, dass die hohe Myopie mit einer entsprechenden Makropapille einhergeht.…”

<i>Artemesia annua</i> extract prevents glyoxal-induced cell injury in retinal microvascular endothelial cells during glaucoma

“…High intraocular pressure is considered a major pre-disposing factor for glaucoma, and it leads to optic nerve shrinkage and retinal ganglion cell apoptosis [9][10][11]. This disorder cannot be remedied even after transplantation of stem cells or ganglion cells [9,12].…”

“…This disorder cannot be remedied even after transplantation of stem cells or ganglion cells [9,12]. Current treatments for glaucoma focus mainly on neuro-protection.…”