Cupping of the optic disc, also known as optic disc cupping or cupped optic disc, refers to a specific medical finding observed in the examination of the eye, particularly during ophthalmoscopic evaluation or imaging techniques such as optical coherence tomography (OCT). It describes a characteristic indentation or hollowing out of the optic nerve head or optic disc, which is the circular region where the optic nerve fibers exit the eye.
The optic disc is normally round and prominent, but cupping occurs when there is an increase in the ratio of the cup (the central hollowed-out region) to the overall size of the optic disc. This relative increase in the cup size often results from the thinning of neural tissue and loss of nerve fibers within the optic disc.
Cupping of the optic disc can be a sign of various underlying ocular conditions, most notably glaucoma, a progressive eye disease characterized by optic nerve damage and vision loss. In glaucoma, increased intraocular pressure often leads to damage and loss of nerve fibers, resulting in the characteristic cupping of the optic disc. However, cupping can also occur in other conditions that cause optic nerve atrophy or damage, including optic neuritis, optic nerve head drusen, and ischemic optic neuropathy.
The presence of cupping of the optic disc is a critical finding in ophthalmology as it helps in the diagnosis, management, and monitoring of various optic nerve diseases. Regular assessments of the optic disc cupping, along with other clinical evaluations and tests, enable healthcare professionals to determine the progression of the disease and guide appropriate treatment interventions to preserve vision.
