Corticosteroid glaucoma

Chronic as well as acute glaucoma can be induced by corticosteroids. The hypertensive response to the topical corticosteroid test is not genetically determined. The pathogenesis of the corticosteroid glaucoma can be explained by clones of goniocytes, which contain mucopolysaccharides sensitive to hyaluronidase. When these mucopolysaccharides are polymerized, they retain water and when they are depolymerized, they loose water. As the corticosteroid strengthen the lysosomal membranes, the retained catabolising enzymes prevent the catabolism of the mucopolysaccharides, which tend to accumulate in a more polymerized and more hydrophilic form.