Design of Experiments for Exposure of Astrocytes to Elevated Hydrostatic Pressure and Hypoxia

Glaucoma, a chronic optic neuropathy, is the second most common cause of blindness, affecting 67 million people worldwide. The damage in glaucoma occurs at the optic nerve head (ONH), where the axons of the retinal ganglion cells leave the eye posteriorly. Glaucoma is frequently associated with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), and visual field loss can be prevented by significant lowering of IOP. Hence, the role of pressure in glaucoma is important. Unfortunately, the mechanism by which pressure leads to vision loss in glaucoma is very poorly understood.