What is Scotoma (Blind Spot)? - Glaucoma Glossary

A scotoma is an area of partial or complete alteration in the field of vision consisting of a partially diminished or entirely degenerated central or peripheral blind spot.

What it means for the patient

In glaucoma, a scotoma is a specific patch in your side vision where nerve damage has caused a blind spot. Because your brain fills in the missing picture, you often don't notice these blind spots until the disease is very advanced.

Clinical significance

Glaucomatous scotomas typically follow the arcuate pathways of the retinal nerve fibers, leading to classic presentations like nasal steps, arcuate defects, or paracentral scotomas. These bypass the central macula until late-stage disease.

How it is tracked

The depth and progression vectors of discrete scotomas are identified by Pattern Standard Deviation (PSD) increases via visual field testing tracked on the dashboard.