title: The Finnish evidence-based guideline for open-angle glaucoma.
abstract: In most patients, chronic open-angle glaucoma is a slowly progressive disease. Eyes with very high intraocular pressure (IOP > 30 mmHg) represent an exception to this and should be treated and followed extremely intensively. As lowering IOP is, so far, the only means of treating glaucoma, the majority of research reports deal with the IOP-lowering effect of the treatment. The primary goal of treatment, however, is to prevent glaucomatous damage to the structures and function of the eye. The effectiveness of treatment is monitored with optic disc and retinal nerve fibre layer imaging and with visual field examinations. If the glaucomatous changes are progressing, more effective treatment should be given. In the course of follow-up, it should be noted that the changes in the optic nerve structure and function appear and progress at different time-points with delays of up to several years. The assessment of abnormalities is dependent on the examination method and requires a great deal of experience on the part of the examiner. The important risk factors in glaucoma are elevated IOP (even if IOP is within normal range in half of patients ), age, positive family history, exfoliation, race and myopia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Oulu, FIN-90014 Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tuulonen
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Airaksinen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erola
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Forsman
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Friberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaila
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klemetti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mäkelä
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oskala
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puska
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Suoranta
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Teir
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uusitalo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vainio-Jylhä
authors.forename: M-L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Vuori
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000503:physiopathology; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D014130:Trabeculectomy; D014794:Visual Fields
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents