Microstructure Motivated Growth and Remodeling of the Lamina Cribrosa in Early Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in the world and is due to the loss of retinal ganglion cell axons. These axons deteriorate in a region in the posterior pole of the eye known as the optic nerve head (ONH). The axons pass through the lamina cribrosa (LC) as they exit the eye at the ONH. The LC is characterized by a porous, connective tissue structure composed of laminar beams. The function of the LC is unclear, but is believed to include providing mechanical support to the axons as they transition from inside the pressurized globe to the lower pressure orbital space. Early experimental glaucoma studies have shown that the LC remodels into a thicker, more posterior structure which incorporates more connective tissue after chronic IOP elevation [1,2]. The process by which this occurs is unknown. These structural changes are assumed to play an important role in the pathophysiology of the ocular disease glaucoma, where elevated IOP is known to be the most relevant risk factor.