Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction Glaucoma remains the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Although the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is an established hallmark of glaucoma, reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) is a widely used evidence-based management approach, even in normotensive patients. However, despite optimal pressure control, some patients progress to lose vision.Areas covered This review provides a summary of the latest methods aimed at reducing RGC loss with the objective of preserving vision, categorized by the mechanism of action. We discuss both the newest ways in which IOP can be reduced, alongside ‘pressure-independent’ pharmacological therapies and developments in bioengineering. The conducted PubMed search included the terms: ‘glaucoma pathophysiology,’ ‘IOP-lowering agents,’ ‘retinal ganglion cell apoptosis,’ ‘neuroprotection,’ ‘stem cells,’ ‘imaging.’Expert opinion With many agents failing to successfully translate into clinical use, further understanding of the underlying disease process is required, along with novel biomarkers that will enable timely and reliable quantification of treatment effect.
Source: Expert Review of Ophthalmology
Language: English
Subfield: Ophthalmology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3092779944