PROGRESSIVE LOW-TENSION GLAUCOMA - TREATMENT TO STOP GLAUCOMATOUS CUPPING AND FIELD LOSS WHEN THESE PROGRESS DESPITE NORMAL INTRAOCULAR-PRESSURE

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 89  (1) , 1-6
Abstract
After the [human] optic discs developed cupping and atrophy from elevated intraocular pressure [IOP] they tend to become abnormally vulnerable and, in some cases, may continue to deteriorate even if the IOP is brought to the teens. At this stage they behave the same as in eyes with so-called low-tension glaucoma, which developed progressive cupping and atrophy with pressures always in the teens. In either case the progression of cupping and field loss can be stopped by reducing the IOP to lower levels, preferably to .ltoreq. 10 mm Hg. Such low pressures are most reliably attained by surgery, using a special technique called the shell tamponade filtration procedure, which involves the use of a glaucoma shell in conjunction with standard (full-thickness sclerostomy) filtration operations and certain specific operative and perioperative maneuvers. Nine case reports are presented to illustrate this thesis. Glaucomatous cupping and loss of visual field were progressing relentlessly at normal pressures in each case. This progressive deterioration was shown to be arrested by reduction of the pressure to < 12 mm Hg in 13 eyes.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: