Glaucoma: a systemic condition?
- 1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- 2Center of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence to Professor Leopold Schmetterer, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria; leopold.schmetterer{at}meduniwien.ac.at
- Accepted 12 February 2012
- Published Online First 7 March 2012
Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is an optic neuropathy associated with the loss of retinal ganglion cells. The pathophysiology of the disease is incompletely understood. Increased intraocular pressure (IOP) is the most important risk factor for the disease, although many individuals with elevated IOP never develop glaucoma, and glaucomatous damage can occur despite IOP levels in the normal range. Several large-scale trials have proved that the progression of visual field loss can be retarded by reducing …
