Abstract
Glaucoma is a common complex disease that leads to irreversible blindness worldwide. Even though preclinical studies showed that lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) could prevent retinal ganglion cells loss, clinical evidence suggests that lessening IOP does not prevent glaucoma progression in all patients. Glaucoma is also becoming more prevalent in the elderly population, showing that age is a recognized major risk factor. Indeed, recent findings suggest that age-related tissue alterations contribute to the development of glaucoma and have encouraged exploration for new treatment approaches. In this review, we provide information on the most frequently used experimental models of glaucoma and describe their advantages and limitations. Additionally, we describe diverse animal models of glaucoma that can be potentially used in translational medicine and aid an efficient shift to the clinic. Experimental animal models have helped to understand the mechanisms of formation and evacuation of aqueous humor, and the maintenance of homeostasis of intra-ocular pressure. However, the transfer of pre-clinical results obtained from animal studies into clinical trials may be difficult since the type of study does not only depend on the type of therapy to be performed, but also on a series of factors observed both in the experimental period and the period of transfer to clinical application. Conclusions: Knowing the exact characteristics of each glaucoma experimental model could help to diminish inconveniences related to the process of the translation of results into clinical application in humans.
Highlights
Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide [1]
Glaucoma is a neuropathy characterized by a progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGC), their axons, and a concomitant loss of the visual field
The animal models keep the visual system and the animal’s organism intact; the physiological responses are more similar to those that occur in patients with glaucoma than those observed in the cultures of cells or organs
Summary
Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide [1]. The data suggests an increase in the incidence of this pathological condition by 2020, with this disease affecting more than 80 million people, 8.4 million of whom are expected to develop blindness [2]. Despite the existence of these risk factors, the reduction of IOP, usually with ocular hypotensive drops, remains the only proven method to treat the disease For this reason, studies based on experimental models with animals have helped to understand the mechanisms of formation and evacuation of aqueous humor, as well as the maintenance of the homeostasis of IOP. The animal models keep the visual system and the animal’s organism intact; the physiological responses are more similar to those that occur in patients with glaucoma than those observed in the cultures of cells or organs These experimental models are limited by the lack of cooperation of the animals and the need to anesthetize them to perform the procedures [8], which affects the results and represents a risk for the animals themselves. It offers a summary of current preclinical models, describing their advantages and limitations
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