Abstract
We had surveyed and reported on Normal Tension Glaucoma (NTG) in examinees in our Medicine and Health Sciences Institute for five years. At the time of our previous oral report, the chairman asked whether possible to detect NTG even by anyone who is no ophthalmologist. As the reporter replyed soon, “possible”, we will report here the possibility with our cases based on the fundus photos and the visual field (VF) changes.
Objects are the fundus photos and the VF changes of NTG selected from 93 patients who were diagnosed of NTG in our department of ophthalmology for three years.
Fundus photos were closed examined by ophthalmologists concerning four aspects : Splinter Hemorrhage at the disc's edge (SH), Nerve Fiber Layer Defect (NFLD), Bayoneting at the disc's edge (BDE) and Notching at the disc's edge (NDE) . The relation between the four aspects and the VF change was discussed in our managing center of patient data. The possibility of detection was then certified.
The relation among them were as followed : 1) At the disc's edge of NFLD, SH had retrospectively been found out. 2) Clear NFLD had nasal step in VF. 3) Clear NFLD and BDE had paracentral scotoma.4) NFLD with NDE and BDE had arcuate scotoma. 5) Clear NDE and plural BDE had the half VF defect.
It might be possible to detect NTG by not only specialist for glaucoma but also everyone who takes part in the fundus photos, if the existence of the four aspects and the relation of their VF changes described above were prepared beforehand.
