Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 22, 2026

Ultrasound Cyclo Plasty in Eyes with Glaucoma
Published on: January 26, 2018
Simultaneous management of blood flow and IOP in glaucoma
A Harris1, C Jonescu-Cuypers, B Martin
1Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5175, USA. alharris@indiana.edu
Abstract:
Factors other than intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation must be involved in initiation and progression of glaucoma. An additional element in disease causation may be ischemia in the retina and optic nerve head. Ischemic damage to neurons in the CNS is similar mechanistically and histopathologically to changes seen in glaucoma. Further, glaucoma patients with normal IOP show clear evidence for cerebral and ocular ischemia. Aging and atherosclerosis reduce the ability of the eye to autoregulate blood flow when ocular perfusion pressure changes: the dependence of blood flow on perfusion pressure links ischemia to IOP. Consequently, neuroprotective treatments for glaucoma should be designed to both reduce IOP and improve ocular nutrient delivery.
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