EVOLUTION THE CONCEPTS OF ROLE OF INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE IN GLAUCOMA PROGRESSION (REVIEW)

Abstract

The role of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in the progression of glaucoma optical neuropathy has emphasized repeatedly. The question about the role of elevated IOP as the underlying cause of glaucoma arose in the early 1960s. However, epidemiological studies have questioned the role of IOP as a diagnostic criterion for glaucoma, due to the relatively rare detection the disease among those with ocular hypertension and frequent detection of glaucoma with normal IOP. Multicenter studies determining the role of antihypertensive therapy in the treatment of glaucoma, have shown the importance of reducing IOP: decricing IOP at 1 mm Hg reduced the risk of developing glaucoma on 10-19%. In addition, it was found that the rate of glaucoma progression is very variable. It depends not only on the form of glaucoma, but also on other factors such as the stage of disease and therapy. Swedish study shown normal-tension glaucoma often progressed among the patients with more aggressive treatment such as argon laser trabeculoplasty or trabeculectomies. According to the study’s data, age is the most important risk factor for the progression of normal-tension glaucoma. Such questions as fluctuations in IOP, reduction of retrobulbar blood flow, antihypertensive treatment on the progression of glaucoma are still discussed. Despite the fact that the latter UKGTS multicenter study (2014) showed a decrease in the rate of progression of glaucoma in patients treated with latanoprost, a high percentage of non-treated patients didn’t have disease’s progression. In this regard, the role of IOP as main starting factor in glaucoma pathogenesis is still open.