Professionals/experts. difference between glaucoma and occular hypertension. thanks a lot.? -

ocular hypertension is HIGH EYE PRESSURE. glaucoma is retinal nerve fiber layer loss. most of the time glaucoma (vision loss) is caused by ocular hypertension. BUT! there are some people who have high pressure (ocular hypertension) and DO NOT have glaucoma... and there are also people who have glaucoma (nerve fiber layer loss) in the absence of ocular hypertension. but for MOST people...if you have significant ocular hypertension...you ll probably eventually have nerve fiber layer loss (glaucoma). the hard part is when people have MILD ocular hypertension or pressures just barely above normal. then its a real chin scratcher and is debated in the profession as to how to treat these people. lots of factors. anyone who has ocular hypertension certainly needs a full workup for glaucoma: pressures visual field gonioscopy pachymetry nerve fiber layer analysis (my preference for this is a quot;GDXquot; test: http://www.meditec.zeiss.com/C125679E005...

Glaucoma is NOT a tumor. That said.... Ocular hypertension (OHT) is intraocular pressure higher than normal in the absence of optic nerve damage or visual field loss. Elevated IOP is the most important risk factor for glaucoma, so those with ocular hypertension are frequently considered to have a greater chance of developing the condition. Ok, now here is how it is realated to glaucoma: Glaucoma is a group of diseases of the optic nerve involving loss of retinal ganglion cells in a characteristic pattern of optic neuropathy. Although raised intraocular pressure (ocular hypertension) is a significant risk factor for developing glaucoma, there is no set threshold for intraocular pressure that causes glaucoma. One person may develop nerve damage at a relatively low pressure, while another person may have high eye pressure for years and yet never develop damage. Untreated glaucoma leads to permanent damage of the optic nerve and resultant visual field loss, which can progress to blindness.

Occular hypertension is elevated pressure in your eye. Glaucoma is a form of eye tumor.