Structural and functional evaluations for the early detection of glaucoma

Introduction: The early detection of glaucoma is imperative for functional vision preservation. Utilizing both structural measurements and functional assessments together improve the capability of glaucoma detection. New testing methods are continuously developed with the goals of earlier disease detection and improvement of disease monitoring.Areas covered: A comprehensive literature review on the relationship between structural and functional glaucoma measures and important recent technological advances in early glaucoma detection.Expert commentary: Advancements utilizing optical coherence tomography have allowed the analysis of new structural parameters that can sensitively detect changes in optic nerve and retinal structures. More objective vision assessment methods have the potential to supplement and predict the results of standard automated perimetry. More research is necessary to understand the clinical utility of these advancements for glaucoma management.