The pathogenesis and medical management of glaucoma

The term glaucoma applies to a group of diseases in which an elevated pressure in the eye causes optic nerve damage resulting in visual loss. Current medical and surgical treatment of glaucoma is designed to lower intraocular pressure to a level at which no further optic nerve damage occurs. This review serves to describe the following aspects of glaucoma and its treatment: aqueous humor dynamics and elevation of intraocular pressure; the pathogenesis of glaucomatous optic nerve damage; the nature of visual loss from glaucoma; the modern medical management of glaucoma; and a discussion of a new drug, forskolin, with potential for clinical use in the treatment of glaucoma.