Related Experiment Videos
The relationship between optic disc area and open-angle glaucoma: the Baltimore Eye Survey
H A Quigley1, R Varma, J M Tielsch
1Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, Wilmer Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Journal of Glaucoma
|December 22, 1999
Summary
Larger optic disc area is a weak risk factor for open-angle glaucoma. Optic disc size did not correlate with intraocular pressure (IOP) levels in glaucoma patients.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Glaucoma Research
- Optic Nerve Imaging
Background:
- Open-angle glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
- Intraocular pressure (IOP) is a primary risk factor, but not all glaucoma patients have high IOP.
- Optic disc morphology, including area, is being investigated for its role in glaucoma pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between optic disc area and the likelihood of open-angle glaucoma.
- To determine if larger optic disc area is linked to glaucoma occurring at lower intraocular pressure (IOP).
Main Methods:
- Population-based study of East Baltimore adults.
- Ocular examinations, visual field testing, and IOP measurements (applanation tonometry).
- Optic disc area calculated with refractive error correction; open-angle glaucoma defined by visual field and disc criteria.
Main Results:
- Optic disc area was slightly larger in glaucoma patients than controls, but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.06) after adjusting for covariates.
- No significant relationship was found between optic disc area and IOP levels within the glaucoma patient group.
Conclusions:
- Optic disc area appears to be a weak risk factor for open-angle glaucoma.
- Optic disc size does not differentiate between glaucoma patients with lower versus higher IOP levels in this population-based sample.