Advanced glaucoma diagnostics refers to specialised tests and imaging techniques used to detect early glaucomatous damage and monitor progression more precisely than with basic examination alone. They complement intraocular pressure measurement and standard fields.
Components
These diagnostics commonly include optic nerve and retinal nerve fibre layer imaging with OCT, scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, confocal tomography, and detailed perimetry strategies. Some centres also assess corneal thickness, biomechanics, and ocular blood flow.
- Provide quantitative structural and functional metrics
- Allow detection of subtle changes over time
- Use normative databases and progression analysis software
- Require consistent test performance and image quality
Clinical Role
Advanced diagnostics help identify patients at higher risk, confirm early disease, and determine whether treatment is effectively preventing progression. They support personalised target pressures and follow-up intervals.
- Structural changes may be detected before clear visual field loss
- Combined structure-function analysis improves decision-making
- Useful in complex or atypical cases where diagnosis is uncertain
- Results must always be interpreted in the context of the whole clinical picture
