glaucoma

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)An eye disease or disorder that is defined as a characteristic optic neuropathy, or disease of the optic nerve, possibly, if untreated, leading to damage of the optic disc of the eye and resultant visual field loss due to lack of communication between the retina and the brain, which can lead to blindness.

   “Professor Rosas, in his last work on Diseases of the Eye (Lehre von den Augenkrankheiten, Wien, 1834, p. 326), distinguishes three kinds of glaucoma, viz. glaucoma of the hyaloid, glaucoma of the retina, and glaucoma of the choroid. He makes no mention of lenticular glaucoma, which is much more common than any of the three which he particularizes. Indeed, vitreous, retinal, and choroidal glaucomata, are, to say the least of them, rare diseases.”

   “Nearly all of the so-called noncongestive glaucomata are of Types 1, 2, and 3.”

   “The term primary glaucoma designates that group of glaucomata, the cause of which is not yet known, in contrast to secondary glaucoma, which is due to some obvious cause.”

   “The development of latent glaucomata is usually slow and chronic, following the rhythm of primary glaucomata.”

   “Unfortunately, most of the older data are of limited value because the distinction between the various forms of glaucoma was often difficult and thus unreliable and because glaucomata are diseases of advanced age.”