Neuroprotection in Glaucoma
Neuroprotection is a therapeutic modality that aims to slow or prevent neuronal death. In glaucoma, the target neuron is the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) and its axon. The ultimate goal of neuroprotection is to delay or prevent the loss of visual function. An advantage of the neuroprotective approach is that regardless of the mechanism of glaucomatous optic nerve damage and visual loss, this strategy targets the final common pathway of neuronal loss at the level of the RGC and its axonal projections. Some argue that, by definition, glaucoma neuroprotection is independent from intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering. 1 For the purposes of this discussion, we will follow this convention and define neuroprotection as therapy directed toward preserving RGC viability and function independent of IOP lowering.
