RETINAL GANGLION-CELL DEATH IN GLAUCOMA - THE HOW, THE WHY, AND THE MAYBE

Purpose: Research on the mechanism of cell death in experimental glauc oma indicates that ganglion cells die by apoptosis. Several stimuli ma y account for the activation of apoptosis in glaucoma, including neuro trophin deprivation caused by blockage of retrograde axonal transport during periods of elevated IOP, or glutamate toxicity caused by ischem ia to the optic nerve and ganglion cells. Results: The finding that ap optosis is a significant mechanism of cell death in glaucoma may make it possible to develop new treatments that specifically block or inter fere with this form of cell death, Preventing ganglion cell death may only be a stop-gap measure, however, in that it treats the result of t he disease and not the cause. Still, in many cases ganglion cell death has already been stimulated in patients by the time they are diagnose d with glaucoma and continues to progress even after conventional trea tments. Conclusion: Thus, therapies that prevent further ganglion cell death, in combination with standard pressure management therapies, ma y become a viable treatment for glaucoma in the future.