[The Importance of the Lymphatic and the Glymphatic System for Glaucoma]

Normal tension glaucoma is a variant of primary open angle glaucoma. It is characterized by normal intraocular pressure. Although there are several pathophysiological explanations (e. g. vascular dysregulation, the role of the lamina cribrosa), none of these explanations can fully explain its pathophysiology. The optic nerve is a white matter tract of the brain. It is surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid on its whole length. Neuroradiological examinations hint at a neurodegenerative origin of normal tension glaucoma. Impaired cerebrospinal fluid dynamics and reduced clearance of Aβ amyloid might play a role in this process. The lymphatic and the glymphatic system are thought to be essentially involved.