Page 52 - 21st Century Perspective - Glaucoma Supplement
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Remember to look at all the following to form a comprehensive assessment of the patient. Then and
only then can logical, accurate conclusions be made in assessing the stage of risk or the presence
of frank disease.
● Family history, especially siblings;
● Age and health status;
● Medicines taken for systemic ailments;
● Intraocular pressure and corneal pachymetry;
● Nerve fiber layer assessment;
● Visual field assessment; and
● Attentive study of the optic nerve head — here you are invited to micromanage every detail,
such as color, cup depth, concentricity of the optic cup to the disc rim (ie, is there
● neuroretinal rim erosion or thinning at certain locations such as inferotemporally or
superotemporally), pallor and vessel abnormality such as collateral vessels (from prior
branch retinal vein occlusion).
Finally, all these tests and clinical observations must be critically analyzed by the astute optometric
physician.
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