Clinical Interventions in Aging (Sep 2014)
The current research status of normal tension glaucoma
Abstract
Xue-Song Mi,1,2 Ti-Fei Yuan,3,4 Kwok-Fai So2,4,5 1Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anatomy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China; 5GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Normal tension glaucoma (NTG) is a progressive optic neuropathy that mimics primary open-angle glaucoma, but lacks the findings of elevated intraocular pressure or other mitigating factors that can lead to optic neuropathy. The present review summarized the causes, genetics, and mechanisms underlying NTG in both animal models and human patients. We also proposed that the neurovascular unit is a therapeutic target for NTG management. Keywords: aging, genetics, neurovascular unit, primary open-angle glaucoma, treatment