Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026
08:17
Optical Coherence Tomography: Imaging Mouse Retinal Ganglion Cells In Vivo
Published on: September 22, 2017
Glaucoma progression associated with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy.
Carlo Nucci1, Alessio Martucci, Raffaele Mancino
1Ophthalmological Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, Rome, Italy. nucci@med.uniroma2.it
International Ophthalmology
|September 18, 2012
Summary
This case study highlights a patient with open-angle glaucoma whose condition rapidly worsened due to Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy. Genetic screening is recommended for glaucoma patients with unexplained vision loss.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Genetics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Open-angle glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
- Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a maternally inherited mitochondrial disease.
- Both conditions affect the optic nerve and can lead to vision loss.
Observation:
- A 53-year-old female patient with pre-existing glaucoma experienced progressive visual field loss.
- Ophthalmological exams and blood tests ruled out other contributing diseases.
- Genetic testing identified a mitochondrial DNA mutation consistent with LHON.
Findings:
- The patient presented with the co-occurrence of open-angle glaucoma and LHON.
- This case suggests a potential cumulative effect of both conditions on retinal ganglion cell death.
- Rapid visual impairment progression was observed despite controlled intraocular pressure.
Implications:
- The combined effect of glaucoma and LHON may accelerate vision loss through increased oxidative stress.
- Consider genetic screening for mitochondrial DNA mutations in glaucoma patients with rapid, unexplained progression.
- This finding may inform diagnostic approaches and management strategies for complex optic neuropathies.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Glaucoma: Overview
Glaucoma is an eye condition characterized by increased intraocular pressure that damages the retina and optic nerve, leading to irreversible blindness if left untreated. The human eye has various components, including the cornea, iris, pupil, lens, and optic nerve. Aqueous humor is secreted by the epithelium of the ciliary body in the posterior chamber and flows through the trabecular meshwork and canal of Schlemm, maintaining normal intraocular pressure. The trabecular meshwork and the canal...
01:27Open Angle Glaucoma: Treatment
In open-angle glaucoma, the iridocorneal angle remains open, but the trabecular meshwork becomes stiff, slowing down the outflow of aqueous humor. This causes a buildup of aqueous humor in the anterior chamber, leading to a sudden increase in intraocular pressure. The treatment for open-angle glaucoma focuses on reducing the elevated intraocular pressure by either decreasing the secretion of aqueous humor or increasing its outflow.
Drugs such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, α2- and...
Drugs such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, α2- and...
01:27Diabetic Retinopathy
DefinitionDiabetic retinopathy is a microvascular complication of diabetes affecting the retinal blood vessels.Risk FactorsDiabetic retinopathy is present in almost all individuals with type 1 diabetes and more than 60% of those with type 2 diabetes after two decades of disease.The risk increases with poor glycemic control, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, pregnancy, and puberty.Although cataracts and glaucoma are also more frequent in people with diabetes, retinopathy remains the leading...
01:28Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment
Angle-closure glaucoma, or closed-angle glaucoma, is an eye condition where the iris bulges out and blocks the iridocorneal angle, resulting in a buildup of aqueous humor and increased intraocular pressure. Immediate medical attention is necessary due to the sudden onset of symptoms. The treatment for angle-closure glaucoma includes short-term and long-term approaches. Short-term treatment involves using eye drops like pilocarpine to lower intraocular pressure by increasing aqueous humor...
01:22Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways
At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...