The neurologic evaluation of patients with low-tension glaucoma.
One hypothesized cause of low-tension glaucoma is chronic or intermittent ischemia of the optic nerve. Since the optic nerve and brain are both parts of the central nervous system and share a common blood supply, the authors wondered if patients with low-tension glaucoma might also have clinical or radiographic evidence of cerebral atrophy. In this study, 27 patients with low-tension glaucoma were examined using neurobehavioral testing, electroencephalography, computerized tomographic scan, neurological history, and physical examination. In only a small number of patients were these tests abnormal. However, 12 of the 27 patients gave a history of common or classic migraine. This unexpected finding raises the possibility that migraine-related ischemia might be the pathogenic mechanism in some cases of low-tension glaucoma.
D000368:Aged; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D011581:Psychological Tests; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed