Dr. Grossman’s Blog

Scientists have determined that glaucoma patients who have damage to both hemifields (half of the visual field) of their eye will experience more rapid progression of the disease than patients who have damage to a single hemifield.

The study, published in the September 2009 journal Archives of Ophthalmology, reviews data from 205 patients.  79 were found with an initial superior defect, 61 with an initial inferior defect, and 65 with both hemifields affected.  

Analysis showed significantly higher baseline intraocular pressure and thinner central corneal thickness in patients with initial damage to both hemifields.

The study authors concluded that initial damage to both hemifields increases the risk of glaucoma progression, and that doctors should consider more aggressive therapy for these patients.

Learn more about glaucoma, including natural ways to help prevent and care for glaucoma at the Natural Eye Care website

SOURCE:  Glaucoma With Early Visual Field Loss Affecting Both Hemifields and the Risk of Disease Progression, De Moraes, et al,  Arch Ophthalmol. 2009;127(9):1129-1134.

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham believe that thyroid disorders may increase the risk of glaucoma.  Their study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, reviewed data from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey to quantify the association between a self-reported diagnosis of glaucoma and a self-reported history of thyroid problems.

Of the 12,376 survey participants, 4.6% reported glaucoma, and 11.9% reported a history of thyroid problems.  The prevalence of glaucoma among those who reported thyroid problems was 6.5% compared with 4.4% among those who did not report thyroid problems.  This association between glaucoma and thyroid problems remained after adjusting for differences in age, gender, race and smoking status.

The results of this study lend support to the hypothesis that thyroid disorders may increase the risk of glaucoma.   Although further research on the topic is expected, study authors suspect that hypothyroidism may diminish outflow in the eye.

Learn more about glaucoma, including prevention and treatment options at the Natural Eye Care website

SOURCE:  The association between thyroid problems and glaucoma, Cross, et al, British Journal of Ophthalmology 2008;92:1503-1505.