Pathomorphological Changes of the Retina in Chronic Intraocular Pressure Increase

Abstract

Glaucoma is one of the most unfavorable neurodegenerative diseases of the eye. However, the etiology and pathogenesis of glaucoma have not been fully studied enough. Thus, for example, the issue of the primacy of damage to the fundus structures in the development of glaucomatous optic neuropathy remains debatable.This review presents a modern view of the main pathomorphological changes in the retina in chronically elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). The analysis of structural changes in various layers of retinal tissue, primarily retinal ganglion cells in glaucoma, is carried out. Attention is focused on the role of various pathogenetic mechanisms in the occurence and progression of dystrophic changes in the retina with an increase of IOP. The need for a comprehensive analysis of structural, functional and hemodynamic parameters in each specific clinical case is emphasized, which helps to increase the sensitivity of new methods for diagnosing glaucoma and optimize the treatment of the disease.

Keywords

• primary open-angle glaucoma
• optical neuroretinopathy
• retina
• retinal ganglion cells
• degeneration
• apoptosis