Are ‘glaucoma’ and ‘high intra-ocular pressure’ one and the same?

There is an understandable confusion between these two terms, and some erroneously consider them as synonyms.  The two are indeed interrelated, but not identical.  To highlight this, there are individuals with high eye pressure but without glaucoma, while others, yet, have glaucoma, but  without any high eye pressure.,  This indeed sounds confusing?, so let me try to explain the logic behind these paradoxical statements:

High eye pressure (in medical language “high intra-ocular pressure“) means that the pressure readings of the eye pressure are higher then (i.e. outside) the normal rang.  Normal eye pressures in humans range from 10 to 21.  Hence, any measurement of 22 and above is statistically defined as a deviation from the eye pressure norm, but does not necessarily imply the existence of glaucoma?

Glaucoma, as a disease is defined as irreversible damage to the optic nerve fibers, resulting in irreversible damage to the visual field.  Usually this injury is caused due to high pressure inside the eye.
In that case glaucoma patient will be defined as someone with damaged optic nerve and at the same time with visual field defects.

Glaucoma & Cataract:
www.glaucoma.org.il

Surgery

Diagnosis

This website was written by Prof. Eytan Blumenthal, to better understand glaucoma & cataract. This information should not replace medical consultation.

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