PRIMARY OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA(POAG) SREELAKSHMI VENUGOPALAN ROLL NO 66
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ETIOPATHOGENESIS CLINICAL FEATURES CLINICAL ASSESMENT AND INVESTIGATION DIAGNOSIS MANAGEMENT
INTRODUCTION Primary open angle glaucoma also known as chronic simple glaucoma of adult onset characterized by: Slowly progressive raised intraocular pressure(>21mmHg) Open normal appearing anterior chamber angle Optic disc cupping. Specific visual field defects.
ETIOPATHOGENESIS PREDISPOSING AND RISK FACTORS Intraocular pressure Family history- 10% in siblings,4% in the offsprings , polygenic inheritance Age- increases with increasing age, 5 th and 7 th decades Race- more severe in black people than white Myopes are more predisposed Central corneal thickness-thinner CCT Diabetics Cigarette smoking High blood pressure Thyrotoxicosis – Graves’ ophthalmic disease Corticosteroid responsiveness.
PATHOGENESIS OF RISE IN IOP
PATHOGENESIS OF GLAUCOMATOUS OPTIC NEUROPATHY Mechanical theory Vascular insufficiency theory
CLINICAL FEATURES SYMPTOMS Usually asymptomatic Non specific symptoms Headache and eye pain Difficulty in reading and close work Delayed dark adaption Significant loss of vision and blindness Scotoma
SIGNS ANTERIOR SEGMENT SIGNS Early stage normal anterior segment Late stages pupil reflex becomes sluggish, cornea shows slight haze Thin CCT-risk factor
INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE CHANGES Exaggeration of the normal diurnal variation Diurnal variation test-repeated observations of IOP every 3-4 hours A variation of IOP over 5 mmHg is suspicious and over 8 mmHg is diagnostic of glaucoma. GLAUCOMATOUS OPTIC NERVE HEAD CHANGES Optic disc imaging techniques include; Confocal scanning laser topography(CSLT) Optical coherence tomography(OCT) Scanning laser polarimetry
A – Normal slight morning rise B - Morning rise is seen in 20% cases C - Afternoon rise is seen in 25% cases D - Biphasic variation seen in 55% cases
GLAUCOMATOUS CHANGES IN THE OPTIC DISC Early glaucomatous changes Vertically oval cup- due to loss of neural rim tissue. Asymmetry of the cups Large cup-cup disc ratio >0:4 (normal 0.3:0.4) Splinter haemorrhages Pallor areas Atrophy of retinal nerve fibre layer- wedge shaped dark areas arising from the optic nerve head.
A & B – Normal optic disc. C & D – Early glaucomatous changes.
Advanced glaucomatous changes in the optic disc Marked cupping (cup size 0.7 to 0.9) Thinning of the neuro retinal rim –seen as crescenteric shadow adjacent to the disc margin. Nasal shifting of the retinal vessels – BAYONETTING SIGN Pulsations of the retinal arterioles – pathognomic sign Lamellar dot sign- pores in the lamina cribrosa become slit shaped.
A and B – BAYONETTING SIGN (vessels being Broken of at the margin), marked cupping C – Marked cupping in OCT examination
Glaucomatous optic atrophy Neural tissue of the disc is destroyed Optic nerve head appears white and deeply excavated
Pathophysiology of disc changes Mechanical Vascular Raised IOP Forces lamina cribrosa backwards Squeezes the nerve fibres Disturb axoplasmic flow Ischemic atrophy of the nerve fibres Large caverns or lacunae are formed (cavernous optic atrophy)
VISUAL FIELD DEFECTS Anatomical basis of field defects Distribution of retinal nerve fibres Fibres from the nasal half of retina come as superior and inferior radiating fibres (SRF & IRF) Fibres from macular area come as papillomacular bundle (PMB) Fibres from the temporal retina arch above and below the macula and PMB as superior and inferior arcuate fibres (SAF & IAF)
Arrangement of nerve fibres within optic nerve head Superior and inferior arcuate nerve fibres occupy the superior and the inferior temporal portions of the optic nerve head, Most sensitive to glaucomatous damage Macular fibres are more resistant to the glaucomatous damage and explain the retention of the central vision till the end.
Nomenclature of glaucomatous field defects Initially observed in Bjerrum’s area( 10-20 degrees from fixation) and correlate with optic disc changes Isopter Contraction- mild generalized constriction of central as well as peripheral fields. Earliest visual field defect Baring of blind spot- exclusion of blind spot from the central field due to inward curve of the outer boundary of 30 degree central field.
Small wing shaped paracentral scotoma (B) Earliest clinically significant field defect Appear above or below the blind spot in Bjerrum’s area Seidel’s scotoma (C) Paracentral scotoma joins the blind spot Sickle shaped scotoma Arcuate of Bjerrum’s scotoma ( D) Extension of Seidel’s scotoma either above or below the fixation point
Ring or double arcuate (E) - two scotomas join together Roenne’s central nasal step (E) - two arcuate scotomas run in different arcs and meet to form a sharp right angled defect at the horizontal meridian. Peripheral field defect ( F)- The peripheral nasal step of Roenne’s results from unequal contractions of the peripheral isopter
Advanced glaucomatous field defects Tubular vision (G) -visual field loss gradually spreads centrally as well as peripherally, small island of central vision Temporal island of vision (H) - islands of vision progressively diminish in size , leaving the patient with no light perception
CLINICAL ASSESMENT AND INVESTIGATION HISTORY & OCULAR EXAMINATION WITH SLIT LAMP BIOMICROSCOPY To look out signs of glaucoma and to rule out secondary glaucoma SPECIFIC EVALUATION TECHNIQUES Applanation Tonometry Central corneal thickness Diurnal variation test Gonioscopy Perimetry Optic nerve head evaluation Nerve fibre analyzer Provocative tests- Water drinking test
DIAGNOSIS Primary open angle glaucoma Raised IOP (>21mmHg) Definite glaucomatous optic disc cupping Visual field changes Ocular Hypertension IOP constantly >21mmHg No optic disc cupping No visual field defects Normal tension glaucoma (NTG) Typical glaucomatous cupping with or without visual field changes IOP constantly < 21mmHg
MANAGEMENT Aim of the treatment – Lower intraocular pressure to a level where visual loss does not occur. Therapeutic choices include Medical therapy Argon or diode laser trabeculoplasty Filtration surgery
MEDICAL THERAPY
Antiglaucoma drugs Prostaglandin analogues- Decrease the IOP by increasing the uveoscleral outflow of aqueous LATANOPROST(0.005%) TRAVOPROST (0.004%) BIMATOPROST (0.03%) TAFLUPROST(0.015%) UNOPROSTONE(0.15%) BID Topical beta blockers- Lower IOP by reducing the aqueous secretion due to effect on beta-2 receptors in the ciliary processes. TIMOLOL MALEATE (0.25, 0.5%;1-2 times/day) BETAXOLOL(0.25%; 2 times/day) LEVOBUNOLOL(0.25, 0.5%;1-2 times/day) CARTEOLOL( 1%;1-2 times/day)
Adrenergic drugs Lower the IOP by increasing the aqueous outflow by stimulating alpha receptors in the aqueous outflow system EPINEPHRINE HYDROCHLORIDE (0.5, 2%; 1-2 times/day )and DIPIVEFRIN HYDROCHLORIDE (0.1% 1-2 times/day) BRIMONIDINE - selective alpha 2 adrenergic agonist Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor Lower IOP by decreasing aqueous production by altering ion transport along the ciliary process epithelium. Topical- DORZOLAMIDE 2% 2-3 times/day or BRINZOLAMIDE 1% BD Oral- ACETAZOLAMIDE and METHAZOLAMIDE
Rho kinase inhibitors- Lower IOP by relaxing the cytoskeleton of trabecular meshwork and schlemm’s canal cells RIPASUDIL(0.4%) NETARSUDIL(0.02%)-neuroprotective role Miotics , PILOCARPINE (1,2,4%;3-4 times/day) Pilocarpine contracts longitudinal muscle of ciliary body and open spaces in trabecular meshwork, thereby mechanically increasing aqueous outflow. Hyperosmotic agents MANNITOL 1-2gm/kg body weight
LASER TRABECULOPLASTY Done using argon laser or diode laser and selective trabeculoplasty . Indications- When the IOP is uncontrolled despite of medical therapy As primary therapy where there is non compliance to medical therapy
Role of Argon in ALT Hypotensive effect caused by increasing outflow facility Producing collagen shrinkage on the inner aspect of the trabecular meshwork and opening intratrabecular spaces Complications Transient acute rise of IOP Transient inflammation Others like haemorrhage , uveitis, peripheral anterior synechiae and reduced accommodation Selective laser trabeculoplasty - Selective photothermolysis Targets selectively pigmented trabecular meshwork cells Pressure lowering effect.
SURGICAL THERAPY Indications Uncontrolled glaucoma. Noncompliance of medical therapy or non availability of ALT/SLT. Failure of medical therapy. Eyes with advanced disease. Types of Surgery Trabeculectomy Filtration surgery- External and Internal