Studies of Glaucoma Damage and Its Prevention

In glaucoma eye pressure damages the optic nerve, the structure that carries vision from the eye to the brain. People lose vision from glaucoma for two reasons:

1. Damage remains undetected until the disease is already advanced. Glaucoma is usually a silent condition, like high blood pressure, and so many individuals do not realize that they have glaucoma. Furthermore, it is difficult for the ophthalmologist to detect the condition in its earlier stages.
2. The damage is recognized but the physician is unsuccessful in preventing it from worsening. This occurs because there is no treatment for glaucoma that is 100% effective.

Our proposed research addresses these fundamental sources of visual loss from glaucoma. We will develop more sensitive techniques for detecting and following the progression of glaucoma damage. Furthermore, we will study damaged optic nerves microscopically to provide a better understanding of the process of damage, and to yield clues for better ways to detect early glaucoma damage. From the standpoint of glaucoma therapy, we will attempt to improve glaucoma surgery, which remains the best hope for preservation of vision in eyes with severe disease despite medications and laser therapy. Unfortunately, glaucoma surgery as performed today does not always work, and the results are often unpredictable.