Glaucoma Disease Glossary
Navigating a diagnosis of an age-related disease can be overwhelming, especially with all the new medical terms involved. Whether you're preparing for a doctor’s visit or simply want to better understand a glaucoma diagnosis, this glossary serves as a quick reference to help you define and understand commonly used terms.
Normal-tension glaucoma
A form of glaucoma that is similar to primary open-angle glaucoma, except that damage to the optic nerve occurs even though eye pressure is not elevated.
Occipital lobes
A region at the back of the brain that is involved in processing visual information.
Oligodendrocytes
Brain cells that provide other brain cells, called neurons, with a specialized fatty insulation so they can share messages faster.
Open-angle glaucoma
The most common form of glaucoma; a chronic, slowly progressing condition that has few or no symptoms until peripheral (side) vision loss has already begun. In the U.S., this type impacts African Americans and Hispanics at higher rates than other ethnicities.
Optic nerve
The bundle of nerve fibers at the back of the eye that carry visual messages from the retina to the brain.
Parietal lobes
A region at the top of the brain that is involved in processing sensory information, spatial awareness, navigation, and body movement.