How to Test Yourself for Glaucoma

Patients can not determine whether they have glaucoma through self-testing, because the results of self-testing are inaccurate, patients should be under the guidance of the doctor, combined with the history of the disease and intraocular pressure measurements, the angle of the atrium, visual field, optic disc examination results to help clarify the diagnosis. 1. Medical history: to clarify whether there is any history of eye diseases and the diagnosis and treatment process, including the history of medication, such as local or systemic glucocorticosteroids, eye surgery, such as refractive surgery, etc., whether there are cardiovascular, cerebrovascular or respiratory diseases, peripheral vascular disease, family history of eye diseases, etc. 2. Inspection items (1) Intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement: the gold standard is Goldmann tonometer, and there are also non-contact tonometer measurements, etc. Glaucoma patients are often accompanied by elevated IOP. (2) Atrial Angle: The diagnosis of open-angle or closed-angle glaucoma is based on the opening or closing of the angle of the atrium, and the best way is to observe the structure of the angle of the atrium directly through atrial anguloscopy. In addition, optical coherence tomography of the anterior segment of the eye can be used for detecting the morphology of the iris and structure of the angle of the atrium under physiological conditions. (3) Visual field: The gold standard for the diagnosis of glaucoma is the presence of visual field changes, and the type of visual field defect and the way it develops are somewhat characteristic. (4) Optic disc: The objective basis for diagnosis of glaucoma is the change of optic disc. The important feature of optic disc damage in glaucoma is the enlargement of the optic cup, and direct eye examination is the commonly used method to check the change of optic disc in clinical practice. It is recommended that patients with suspected glaucoma should consult a regular hospital in time to assess their condition and follow the doctor’s instructions for treatment.