Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that lead to damage of the optic nerve, which is important for transmitting visual information from the eye to the brain. This damage is often caused by increased pressure within the eye, known as intraocular pressure (IOP) and may cause vision loss if left untreated. The word glaucoma originated from the Greek word ΓλαύV̇ξ (glaukos), which means "to glow". Glaucoma has been called the "silent thief of sight" because the loss of vision usually occurs slowly over a long period of time. It is associated with old age, a family history of glaucoma, and certain medical conditions or medications.
The National Eye Institute (NEI) is part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The mission of NEI is "to eliminate vision loss and improve quality of life through vision research." NEI consists of two major branches for research: an extramural branch that funds studies outside NIH and an intramural branch that funds research on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. Most of the NEI budget funds extramural research.
Radial keratotomy (RK) is a refractive surgical procedure to correct myopia (nearsightedness). It was developed in 1974 by Svyatoslav Fyodorov, a Russian ophthalmologist. It has been largely supplanted by newer, more accurate operations, such as photorefractive keratectomy, LASIK, Epi-LASIK and the phakic intraocular lens.
Optic nerve sheath meningiomas (ONSM) are rare benign tumors of the optic nerve. 60–70% of cases occur in middle age females, and is more common in older adults. It is also seen in children, but this is rare. The tumors grow from cells that surround the optic nerve, and as the tumor grows, it compresses the optic nerve. This causes loss of vision in the affected eye. Rarely, it may affect both eyes at the same time.
Superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis is a disease of the eye characterized by episodes of recurrent inflammation of the superior cornea and limbus, as well as of the superior tarsal and bulbar conjunctiva. It was first described by F. H. Théodore in 1963.
A glaucoma valve is a medical shunt used in the treatment of glaucoma to reduce the eye's intraocular pressure (IOP).
Iridodialysis is a localized separation or tearing away of the iris from its attachment to the ciliary body.
Ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) is a type of ultrasound eye exam that makes a more detailed image than regular ultrasound.
Sohan Singh Hayreh was an ophthalmologist, clinical scientist, and professor emeritus of ophthalmology at the University of Iowa. As one of the pioneers in the field of fluorescein angiography, he was generally acknowledged to be a leading authority in vascular diseases of the eye and the optic nerve. For over 60 years, Hayreh was actively involved in basic, experimental, and clinical research in ophthalmology, publishing over 400 original peer-reviewed articles in various international ophthalmic journals, six classical monographs and books in his field of research, and more than 50 chapters in ophthalmic books. He made many seminal observations dealing with the ocular circulation in health and disease, the optic disc and the optic nerve, retinal and choroidal vascular disorders, glaucomatous optic neuropathy, fundus changes in malignant arterial hypertension, ocular neovascularization, rheumatologic disorders of the eye, and nocturnal arterial hypotension. He was an elected fellow of the National Academy of Medical Sciences.
Canine glaucoma refers to a group of diseases in dogs that affect the optic nerve and involve a loss of retinal ganglion cells in a characteristic pattern. An intraocular pressure greater than 22 mmHg (2.9 kPa) is a significant risk factor for the development of glaucoma. Untreated glaucoma in dogs leads to permanent damage of the optic nerve and resultant visual field loss, which can progress to blindness.
Douglas Jabs is an American ophthalmologist and an expert in clinical research in the fields of ophthalmology and uveitis.
Orbital lymphoma is a common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that occurs near or on the eye. Common symptoms include decreased vision and uveitis. Orbital lymphoma can be diagnosed via a biopsy of the eye and is usually treated with radiotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy.
Sheraz Daya is a British ophthalmologist. Daya founded the Centre for Sight in 1996, and works in stem-cell research and sight recovery surgery.
Haab's striae, or Descemet's tears, are horizontal breaks in the Descemet membrane associated with congenital glaucoma. It is named after Otto Haab. These occur because descemet's membrane is less elastic than the corneal stroma. Tears are usually peripheral, concentric with limbus and appear as line with double contour.
Micro-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) is the latest advance in surgical treatment for glaucoma, which aims to reduce intraocular pressure by either increasing outflow of aqueous humor or reducing its production. MIGS comprises a group of surgical procedures which share common features. MIGS procedures involve a minimally invasive approach, often with small cuts or micro-incisions through the cornea that causes the least amount of trauma to surrounding scleral and conjunctival tissues. The techniques minimize tissue scarring, allowing for the possibility of traditional glaucoma procedures such as trabeculectomy or glaucoma valve implantation to be performed in the future if needed.
Robert M. Schertzer is a Canadian ophthalmologist with a subspecialty in glaucoma treatment. He currently serves as the Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of British Columbia.
Alon Harris is an American clinical scientist, professor of ophthalmology and Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, educator, inventor and researcher in the field of ocular blood flow and its relationship to diseases of the eye. Harris served as the principal or co-principal investigator on more than 60 research grants, published more than 392 peer-reviewed articles, and wrote 23 books and 70 book chapters. As of 2021, he holds two patents. Harris sits on the Board of Directors and the Scientific Advisory Board of The Glaucoma Foundation and is the Vice Chair of International Research and Academic Affairs, co-director of the Center for Ophthalmic Artificial Intelligence and Human Health at Mount Sinai Hospital, and Director of the Ophthalmic Vascular Diagnostic and Research Program at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Uveitic glaucoma is most commonly a progression stage of noninfectious anterior uveitis or iritis.
Cyclodestruction or cycloablation is a surgical procedure done in management of glaucoma. Cyclodestruction reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) of the eye by decreasing production of aqueous humor by the destruction of ciliary body. Until the development of safer and less destructive techniques like micropulse diode cyclophotocoagulation and endocyclophotocoagulation, cyclodestructive surgeries were mainly done in refractory glaucoma, or advanced glaucomatous eyes with poor visual prognosis.
