Could Glaucoma Be an Autoimmune Disease?

Glaucoma affects 70 million people worldwide and is the most common cause of irreversible blindness. While the primary risk factor for glaucoma is high intraocular pressure (IOP), the mechanisms that underpin the disease aren’t fully understood. Studies in mice by a team at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) now suggest that glaucoma could be an autoimmune disease. Their findings indicate that the high IOP triggers an autoimmune resp