GLAUCOMA-the autonomic perspective

One of the leading causes of blindness, Glaucoma is multifactorial in origin. At a systemic level, hypertension, hypotension leading to reduced ocular blood flow, vascular dysregulation, oxidative stress and cardiovascular history are associated with glaucoma. Glaucoma therapeutics are based on manipulation of the Autonomic Nervous System in the anterior segment of the eye. On the other hand, dissimilarities in the risk factors concerned with high tension glaucoma and normal tension glaucoma suggest that these two forms of glaucoma could be taken as separate entities, each with their own pathophysiology, yet the relationship between the two is not convincing. Based on research and comparative analyses so far in India, the first ever compendium 'Glaucoma - the autonomic perspective' gives us an insight to the autonomic dysregulation in glaucoma, thus enhancing the bright scope of this topic in future for the medical researchers.