Glaucoma Normal Range

Normal tension glaucoma ntg also known as low tension or normal pressure glaucoma is a form of glaucoma in which damage occurs to the optic nerve without eye pressure exceeding the normal range.

Glaucoma normal range. High eye pressure alone does not cause glaucoma. Many people with glaucoma have iop of greater than 21. Angle closure glaucoma may occur suddenly acute angle closure glaucoma or gradually chronic angle closure glaucoma. Eye pressure can vary hourly daily and weekly.

Your doctor may call it low tension or normal pressure glaucoma. Normal eye pressure ranges from 12 22 mm hg and eye pressure of greater than 22 mm hg is considered higher than normal. In general a normal pressure range is between 12 22 mm hg. When the pressure exceeds 22 mm hg that usually indicates an abnormal glaucoma test.

Acute angle closure glaucoma is a medical emergency. In normal tension glaucoma your optic nerve becomes damaged even though your eye pressure is within the normal range. Glaucoma treatment often starts with prescription eyedrops. People with pressure around 16 mm hg or higher may also be at risk for normal tension glaucoma.

According to the glaucoma research foundation the range for normal pressure is 12 22 mm hg. It could be in the so called normal range or it could be higher. The mm hg refers to millimeters of mercury which is a scale for recording the eye pressure. But with normal tension glaucoma the optic nerve becomes damaged even though eye pressure stays within normal levels.

However in normal tension glaucoma iop can run below 21 or even below 10. Population based studies show that most eye pressures fall within the range of 10 to 21 mm hg. When the iop is higher than normal but the person does not show signs of glaucoma this is referred to as ocular hypertension. Normal intraocular pressures average between 12 22 mm hg.

To set a target range for treatment by drops laser or surgery we need to know the range of pressure that caused the glaucoma damage that has been injuring your optic nerve head or visual field. However it is a significant risk factor. Many factors can affect the up and down changes in a person s intraocular pressure. By definition people with normal tension glaucoma have open normal appearing anterior chamber angles.