A Comprehensive Review of Methods and Equipment for Aiding Automatic Glaucoma Tracking

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Technology
• Image Analysis

Background:

• Glaucoma is a chronic optic neuropathy causing irreversible retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) damage and visual field (VC) changes.
• Ophthalmological examinations, including optic papilla imaging, are crucial for glaucoma screening and monitoring.
• Optic papilla images are the gold standard for tracking disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review technological diagnostic methods for identifying glaucomatous papilla over the last five years.
• To identify state-of-the-art techniques and analyze current challenges in glaucoma diagnosis.
• To investigate shortcomings, particularly concerning automation and measurement independence.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of scientific literature published within the last five years.
• Analysis of diagnostic technologies for glaucomatous papilla identification.
• Evaluation of automation and independence in current measurement methods.

Main Results:

• Identification of current state-of-the-art methods in glaucoma diagnosis through optic papilla imaging.
• Analysis of existing challenges and limitations in automated glaucoma detection.
• Assessment of the independence of current diagnostic measurements.

Conclusions:

• Technological advancements have improved glaucoma diagnosis, but challenges remain in full automation.
• Further research is needed to address shortcomings in automated and independent measurement of glaucomatous characteristics.
• Future work should focus on developing more robust and autonomous diagnostic tools for effective glaucoma management.