Compressive optic neuropathy. Not everything that progresses is glaucoma

Three clinical cases are presented of compressive optic neuropathy secondary to meningiomas of different locations, initially diagnosed with normal tension glaucoma (NTG). All patients were middle-aged women, with optic disc excavation, as well as asymmetric, rapidly progressive defects in the visual field (VF), and deterioration of the visual acuity (VA), despite presenting with intraocular pressure (IOP) correctly controlled with topical hypotensive therapy. Due to the atypical progression of the glaucoma disease, and suspecting a compressive lesion of the optic nerve, neuroimaging tests were performed, with which the correct diagnosis was reached. In cases of NTG, it is necessary to take into account compressive optic neuropathy as a differential diagnosis. Differentiating both pathologies is a diagnostic challenge that should be suspected due to the atypical decrease of the VA and deterioration of both functional and structural tests, and asymmetrically, despite the normal IOP.