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Vascular optic neuropathies versus glaucomatous optic neuropathy
Author(s) -
SCHMETTERER L
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2014.4722.x
Subject(s) - optic nerve , glaucoma , medicine , visual field , ophthalmology , optic neuropathy , anterior ischemic optic neuropathy , optic disc , intraocular pressure , pallor , optic disk , surgery
Glaucoma is a group of progressive optic neuropathies characterized by excavation of the optic nerve head and associated visual field changes. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is the most important risk factor for glaucoma. The pathophysiology of glaucoma is not well understood, but mechanical compression of the optic nerve head (ONH) appears to play a role. Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) is the second most common cause of optic nerve‐related loss of vision and comprises non‐arteritic AION (NAION) and arteritic AION (AAION). Factors that help in separating AION cases from glaucoma cases are: IOP is typically in the normal range or reduced, ONH cupping does not involve the peripapillary zones, visual field loss usually occurs in the central or cecocentral visual field and disk pallor. Whereas AION is ischemic in nature, the vascular involvement in glaucoma is still a matter of debate. The difference in appearance of the two diseases does, however, not argue against the vascular component in glaucoma.