Definition

1. Noun:
   • An eye disease characterized by damage to the optic nerve, which can lead to progressive, irreversible vision loss and potential blindness. This damage is often, but not exclusively, associated with increased pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure).

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Regular eye exams are crucial for the early detection of glaucoma.
  • The most common form of glaucoma often has no early symptoms.
  • Her family history put her at a higher risk for developing glaucoma.

Advanced Usage

• "Open-angle glaucoma": The most common type, where the drainage angle of the eye remains open but does not function properly, leading to a gradual increase in eye pressure.

  • Open-angle glaucoma progresses so slowly that vision loss may not be noticed for many years.

• "Angle-closure glaucoma": A less common but more acute type where the drainage angle of the eye becomes blocked, causing a rapid rise in intraocular pressure.

  • Angle-closure glaucoma is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment to prevent blindness.

• "Normal-tension glaucoma": A form of the disease where optic nerve damage occurs despite intraocular pressure being within the normal range.

  • The diagnosis of normal-tension glaucoma confirms that the disease is not solely about high pressure.

Variants and Related Words

• Glaucomatous (adj): Relating to or affected by glaucoma.
  • The scan showed glaucomatous changes to the optic nerve.

Synonyms

• Optic neuropathy (specifically referring to the nerve damage aspect in a medical context).

Related Phrases

• "To have glaucoma": To be diagnosed with or suffer from the disease.

  • My grandfather has glaucoma and uses daily eye drops to manage it.

• "Glaucoma screening": A test or examination to check for signs of the disease.

  • Everyone over 40 should consider an annual glaucoma screening.

Notes on Meaning

• A critical distinction is that glaucoma is defined by optic nerve damage, not solely by high eye pressure. Elevated intraocular pressure is a major risk factor, but the disease can occur with normal pressure (normal-tension glaucoma) and high pressure can exist without nerve damage (ocular hypertension). The common misconception is that glaucoma and high eye pressure are synonymous, which the reference definition corrects.

Noun

1. an eye disease that damages the optic nerve and impairs vision (sometimes progressing to blindness)
   • contrary to popular belief, glaucoma is not always caused by elevated intraocular pressure