Question:
What is normal pressure glaucoma? I just found out that I have it. Could it have been an aftermath of polio that I had in 1952 because the only thing that was affected with my polio was my eyesight.
Answer:
Normal pressure glaucoma is diagnosed when the eye pressure is within the normal range of approximately 10-21 mm Hg but there is still evidence of the typical optic nerve damage and vision loss seen in glaucoma. Many individuals diagnosed with normal pressure glaucoma may actually have high pressures that are not found on routine examination, as eye pressure can vary quite a bit. Even individuals with untreated high pressure glaucoma will have a normal pressure one third of the time. It is not likely that polio predisposed you to develop glaucoma. However, the factors that might predispose you to normal pressure glaucoma are not well understood, and your Eye M.D. may wish to do a medical work up to ensure that you do not have another condition that might mimic glaucoma.
Answered by:
Louis B. Cantor, MD
Categories:
Eye Conditions; Eye Diseases
Have a question that hasn't been answered yet?
Ask it!
