vol1 - Page 203
Page 203
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Without questions our medica3L knowledge regarding
. glaucoma is very incomplete. As Dr. George Spaeth_ testifying on
behalf of the government declared,
mAlthough extensive research has been devoted
to glaucoma, very little is actually known
about the disease, especial_[n_egarding its
cause, prevention and cure. _I
Spaeth notes, #[w]hat is known is that glaucoma causes damage to
the optic nerve and can ultimately lead to blindness. "_-q/
In the absence of conclusive evidence, uninhibited by a
clear factual understanding of the disease process, opthamolo-
gists are prone to speculate. Over the years they have advanced
many, often inconsistent theories relating to the causes of
glaucomas conjectured on _possible cures_ x and held many diverse
opinions regarding the proper treatment of this disease. 43---I/
Within the limited scope of current medical understanding there
is only one fact upon which opthamologists are universally
agreed: The only known way to stop progressive injury to the
optic disk -- and thus prevent a further erosion of vision -_ is
to reduce the patient's intraocular pressure. There is, for
examples no conflict between ophthalmic witnesses who testified
in this proceeding over the central importance of intraocular
pressure reduction in the management and control of glaucoma°
__9/ Affidavit of Dr. George Spaeth. at 4.
431/ /_. at 6. Dr. Spaeth states, _Since there is no final
determination on the cause of glaucomas many different opinions
on the subject have been considered." }{e goes on to discuss a
variety of schools of thought within the ophtholmic community.
:i)
- 130
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