Glaucoma and Antioxidant Status

Abstract

Glaucoma, one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness in the world, is defined as a slowly progressive optic neuropathy characterized by retinal nerve fiber and visual field loss. Although increased intraocular pressure is the major risk factor for glaucoma, other risk factors include advanced age, genetic predisposition, family history, gender, ethnic background, myopia, and diabetes. Recent evidence indicates that oxidative stress by reactive oxygen species, occurring not only in trabecular meshwork but also in retinal ganglion cells, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of open-angle glaucoma. The aim of this chapter is to assess, based on the current literature, the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of glaucoma and antioxidant status in glaucoma. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.