Glaucoma: what the nurse practitioner should know.

Glaucoma is both an international and a national public-health issue. Worldwide, glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness. Although more than two million people in the United States have glaucoma, yet only half of them are aware that they have the disease. The diagnosis of glaucoma requires an extensive ocular examination. Glaucoma consists of a group of ocular diseases that result in optic disk cupping and visual field loss. Although glaucoma is a blinding disease, in most cases, blindness may be prevented through early detection and treatment. Glaucoma management is determined by the type of glaucoma one has.