Intracranial pressure and glaucoma

Our understanding of the potential role intracranial pressure (ICP) may play in the pathophysiology of glaucoma is evolving. ICP can have a profound effect on the optic nerve; edema of the optic disc is an accepted consequence of elevation in ICP, and optic disc blood flow is known to be affected by ICP. Deformation of the orbit also is a known consequence of aberrations in ICP. Therefore, it is plausible that local alterations in optic nerve structure, blood supply, or axonal transport could result from changes in ICP. This article will summarize the relationship between ICP and the eye, specifically focusing on hypothesized relationships between ICP and glaucoma and the current evidence supporting or refuting ICP as a risk factor for glaucoma.