Recent Research Efforts to Achieve Neuroprotection, Progression and Treatment of Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to irreversible blindness over time. Its defining feature is the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the eye and their axons in the optic nerve. Increased intraocular pressure (IOP) is a major risk factor for the development of glaucoma, but is neither necessary nor sufficient for the disease and its progression; this motivates research and development of new strategies for the detection and treatment of glaucoma that focus on neuroprotection - protection of RGCs from dying. In addition, for diagnosis and treatment by reducing IOP, new approaches have been developed in recent years. This article reviews current theories of pathophysiological mechanisms underlying glaucoma and recent research - with a focus on neuroprotection and current preclinical and clinical studies to improve the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.