[Corneal sensitivity in chronic open-angle glaucoma (author's transl)]

Corneal sensitivity was measured in 91 eyes suffering from chronic open-angle glaucoma using the electronic-optical hand esthesiometer after Draeger. It was found that the threshold value in eyes with glaucomatous cupping or atrophy of the optic nerve was significantly increased, in contrast to eyes with normal optic disks, but that there was no direct relationship between IOP at the time of measurement and the duration of the open-angle glaucoma. The reduced sensitivity was due to damage of the long ciliary nerves between the choroid and sclera. The authors' findings thus support the view that glaucomatous atrophy of the optic nerve is caused by primary pressure atrophy of the retina.