A link between ischemia and mechanical failure in the optic nerve head

摘要: Primary open angle glaucoma is a group of diseases responsible for a progressive optic neuropathy that is characterized by cupping of the optic nerve head, thinning of the neuroretinal rim, atrophy of the optic nerve fibers, and visual field loss. It may afflict as many as 67 million people worldwide. It is often, but not always, associated with an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP). There is still no clear etiological understanding of why extensive remodeling of the lamina cribrosa occurs. It is likely that it is multi-factorial and interdependent on several events. The work contained herein investigated the possibility that ischemia in the optic nerve head may trigger the release of biochemical factors from support cells that weaken the lamina cribrosa and lead to neural compression and death through mechanical means.