Pseudoexfoliative or exfoliative glaucoma is a specific subtype of glaucoma. It is a systemic disease characterized by the accumulation of an abnormal, whitish, dandruff-like, fibrillo-granular protein material called exfoliation material in the anterior segment and outflow tracts of the eye. Turkey is one of the regions where it is frequently seen. It requires a special approach and treatment.

The difference with this type of glaucoma is that…

• The need for close monitoring due to the risk of faster progression,
• Usually, the need for surgical intervention,
• This is due to several important factors, such as the visual field defect it causes at the time of diagnosis.

In our clinic, for the diagnosis of this disease, intraocular pressure measurement, central corneal thickness measurement, optical coherence tomography (OCT) which is a tomography of the optic nerve, visual field testing, and ultrasonography and ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) can be performed in patients when necessary for differential diagnosis.

Individual patient monitoring and risk assessment are necessary for patient follow-up. Glaucoma is a lifelong disease requiring continuous monitoring and treatment. As an ophthalmologist who has had the opportunity to treat many glaucoma patients, I believe early diagnosis and treatment of this insidious disease are paramount. Remember, “STOPPING GLAUCOMA IS IN OUR HANDS.”