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Optic Disc Hemorrhages in Glaucoma

  • Diagnosis and Monitoring of Glaucoma (R. Kuchtey, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Optic disc hemorrhages are a significant clinical sign seen in patients with glaucoma and often herald glaucomatous progression. Longitudinal and population-based studies have shown that disc hemorrhages are most commonly seen in glaucoma, particularly normal tension glaucoma patients. The exact pathophysiology of an optic disc hemorrhage is not completely understood, but both mechanical rupture and vascular dysregulation theories have been proposed. Recent studies using spectral domain optic coherence tomography and visual field progression analysis have highlighted that structural and functional loss both precede and follow detection of an optic disc hemorrhage. The relationship between intraocular pressure and disc hemorrhages is not completely understood as some patients with disc hemorrhages may progress independent of intraocular pressure lowering therapy.

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Acknowledgments

Supported in part by an unrestricted departmental grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc., New York, NY.

Disclosure

Dr. Gupta and Dr. Chen both declare they have no conflict of interest.

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This article contains no studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, 325 Ninth Ave, Box 359608, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA

    Divakar Gupta

  2. Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, 908 Jefferson St., 7th Floor, 325 Ninth Ave, Box 359608, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA

    Philip P. Chen

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Correspondence to Divakar Gupta.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Diagnosis and Monitoring of Glaucoma.

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Gupta, D., Chen, P.P. Optic Disc Hemorrhages in Glaucoma. Curr Ophthalmol Rep 3, 91–97 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40135-015-0064-x

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