glaucoma
nounUK /ɡlɔːˈkəʊmə/ · US /ɡlɔːˈkoʊmə/
Etymology Borrowed from Ancient Greek γλαύκωμα (glaúkōma, “an opacity of the crystalline lens”), derived from γλαυκός (glaukós, “blue-green”).
1
Medicine, Pathology, Sciences 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.1838, William Mackenzie, “Remarks on Lenticular Glaucoma”, in The London Medical Gazette; Being a Weekly Journal of Medicine and the Collateral Sciences, volume II, London: […] Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longmans, […], page 105, column 2:
- Nearly all of the so-called noncongestive glaucomata are of Types 1, 2, and 3.1948 June, Edward J. Curran, “Advances in the Treatment of Glaucoma: The Joseph Schneider Foundation Eye Presentation”, in Postgraduate Medicine, volume III, number VI, page 409, column 2:
4 more examples
- 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.1952, The West Indian Medical Journal, page 180:
- The development of latent glaucomata is usually slow and chronic, following the rhythm of primary glaucomata.1960, Premier Congrès de la Société Européenne d’Ophtalmologie, page 28:
- 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.1962, Werner Kalow, “[Human Hereditary Defects With Altered Drug Response] Angle-Closure Glaucoma”, in Pharmacogenetics: Heredity and the Response to Drugs, Philadelphia, Pa.; London: W. B. Saunders Company, →LCCN, page 193, column 2:
- Oh, I got the glaucoma, real bad.2013 January 15, Dave Andron, “Where's Waldo?”, in Justified, season 4, episode 2:
- Derived terms
- anal glaucoma, antiglaucoma, glaucomatocyclitic, glaucomatous, glaucomic, nonglaucoma, teleglaucoma