Association of glaucoma with neurodegenerative diseases with apoptotic cell death: Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease

PURPOSE: To report a possible association of glaucoma with Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. METHODS: Retrospective chart review (observational case series). The ophthalmologic charts of 49 patients with Alzheimer’s disease and of 38 patients with Parkinson’s disease were reviewed to determine the occurrence rate of glaucoma among these patients. RESULTS: Glaucomatous visual field defects or cup-to-disk ratios of 0.8 or greater were recorded in 12 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (24.5%) and in 9 patients with Parkinson’s disease (23.7%). CONCLUSION: Patients with Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease may have an increased occurrence rate of glaucoma.