Professor & HOD of Ophthalmology, Malla Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Malla Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Glaucoma ,Intra Ocular Pressure ,Primary Open Angle Glaucoma ,

Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy that causes characteristic changes of the optic nerve and visual field in relation to intra ocular pressure (IOP). It is now known that glaucoma can occur at statistically normal IOPs and prevalence studies have shown that normal tension glaucoma (NTG) is more common than previously thought. While IOP is believed to be the predominant risk factor in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), IOP- independent risk factors, such as vascular deregulation, are believed to play an important part in the pathogenesis of NTG. Though certain distinguishing phenotypic features of NTG have been reported, such as an increased frequency of disc haemorrhages, acquired pits of the optic nerve and characteristic patterns of disc cupping and visual field loss, there is much overlap of the clinical findings in NTG with POAG, suggesting that NTG is likely a part of a continuum of open angle glaucomas. However, IOP modification is still the mainstay of treatment in NTG. As in traditional POAG, reduction of IOP can be achieved with the use of medications, laser trabeculoplasty or surgery. Though it is likely that future treatment of NTG will involve modification of both IOP and IOPindependent risk factors, current efforts to develop IOP- independent neuroprotective treatments have not yet proven to be effective in humans.

5 , 11 , 2015