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Glaucoma: Target Eye Pressure

Topic Overview

In the treatment of glaucoma, your eye doctor will try to reduce the risk of damage to your optic nerve by keeping your eye pressure (intraocular pressure, or IOP) from rising above a certain level. That level of pressure is called your target pressure. By reducing the risk of optic nerve damage, maintaining the target pressure in your eyes may help slow the progression of the disease.

A tonometry test is used to measure the pressure in the eyes. The target pressure is based on the degree of optic nerve damage, the amount of visual field loss and, to a lesser degree, the initial pressure in the eye and how widely it varies each time it is measured. The target pressure varies from person to person.

The target pressure may be lowered during treatment if there are signs that your glaucoma is getting worse.

Related Information

Credits

By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Christopher J. Rudnisky, MD, MPH, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
Last Revised February 28, 2012

Last Revised: February 28, 2012

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & Christopher J. Rudnisky, MD, MPH, FRCSC - Ophthalmology

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