Certified Ophthalmic Assistant Practice Exam

VF defects due to optic nerve damage are closely related to which eye condition?

1. Cataracts

2. Retinitis pigmentosa

3. Glaucoma

4. Macular degeneration

The correct answer is: Glaucoma

The connection between visual field (VF) defects due to optic nerve damage and glaucoma is well established in ophthalmology. Glaucoma is primarily a condition characterized by increased intraocular pressure, which can lead to progressive damage to the optic nerve. As the optic nerve deteriorates, it affects the transmission of visual information from the eye to the brain, resulting in characteristic patterns of VF loss. These defects typically manifest as peripheral vision loss and can advance to central vision loss if the disease progresses untreated. In contrast, conditions such as cataracts primarily affect the lens of the eye, leading to clouded vision but not directly impacting the optic nerve itself. Retinitis pigmentosa involves degeneration of the retina, affecting photoreceptors rather than the optic nerve. Macular degeneration predominantly leads to loss of central vision due to changes in the macula, again not directly involving optic nerve damage. Thus, glaucoma stands out as the eye condition most closely related to VF defects stemming from optic nerve damage, given its pathophysiology and the relationship between intraocular pressure and optic nerve health.