Effect of intraocular pressure on glaucomatous damage to the optic nerve

Abstract

Eyes with normal pressure glaucoma and eyes with high pressure glaucoma show a similar optic disc appearance with marked differences to eyes with vascular optic neuropathy. Non-vascular, potentially barotraumatic factors in addition to intraocular pressure (IOP) may thus play a role in glaucoma. Recent studies have shown that cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP), arterial blood pressure and IOP are correlated with each other, higher CSFP is associated with younger age, higher blood pressure and higher body mass index, some patients with normal (IOP) pressure glaucoma have abnormally low CSFP and thus an abnormally high trans-lamina cribrosa pressure difference and a small orbital CSF space, the orbital CSF space width is associated with CSFP and the estimated CSFP correlated better with open-angle glaucoma-related parameters than IOP. The orbital CSFP as counter-pressure against IOP may play a role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma.