Abstract:

Glaucoma is a group of progressive diseases characterized by apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells, and it is the most common cause of irreversible blindness. Currently, there are no single method to accurately and sensitively detect the progression of glaucoma. To compare the advantages and disadvantages of various monitoring methods and providing the possible direction for the application of new technologies, this review will list some of the clinical examination methods such as fundus photography, optic coherence tomography (OCT), optic coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), adaptive optical microscope, standard automated perimetry (SAP) and other methods including both structure and function. Besides, we will enumerate new evaluation indicators in stead of traditional indicators to prospect the future of feasible monitoring technology. The ideal monitoring method should not only accurately determine the progression of glaucoma, but also give the probability of deterioration and estimate the rate of deterioration. In the future, improving the accuracy of monitoring methods and exploring more sensitive testing methods will be a great challenge, and it is also significant to combine both structural and functional aspects to comprehensively assess the condition, in order to achieve the purpose of guiding treatment and improving prognosis.