Glaucoma, the second most prevalent cause of blindness worldwide, is a degenerative
disease characterized by loss of vision due to loss of retinal ganglion cells. There is no cure
for glaucoma, but early intervention with drugs and/or surgery may slow or halt loss of vision.
Increased intraocular pressure (IOP), age, and genetic background are the leading risk
factors for glaucoma. Our laboratory and other investigators have provided evidence that
astrocytes are the cells responsible for many pathological changes in the glaucomatous …