Research on Glaucoma Diseases

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 1610

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Ophthalmology, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Street, no 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania
Interests: new device glaucoma surgery; cataract surgery; medical retina; neuroophthalmology; artificial intelligence applications in opthalmology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Glaucoma is a condition with increasing prevalence worldwide, and after cataracts, it is the main cause of visual impairment. Identification of the disease and its etiopathogenesis, as well as its associated risk factors, can enable its early diagnosis and reduce the risk of progression to an irreversible stage in the disease’s development. Open-angle glaucoma, especially secondary open-angle glaucoma, results in large variations in intraocular pressure, and while it is painless, it can lead to significant progression of the disease and markedly impair vision quality. Once the disease has been diagnosed, modern innovations, such as laser therapy or minimally invasive surgery, can be used manage it and to reduce intraocular pressure. In addition, gene therapy is another means of controlling glaucomatous disease.

For this Special Issue, we request original research and reviews that present solutions for the early diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. This field of research is important, as the pandemic increased the incidence of advanced glaucoma due to the lack of medication despite the continued need for treatment. Topics of interest for this Special Issue include the prediction of glaucoma progression via artificial intelligence tools; gene therapy to control glaucomatous disease; and novel glaucoma devices to reduce glaucoma progression and increase patients' quality of life.

Dr. Nicoleta Anton
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • glaucoma diseases
  • new technology
  • artificial intelligence in ophthalmology
  • gene therapy in glaucoma
  • new devices
  • artificial drainage systems

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 272 KB  
Article
Retinal Dysfunction in Hypertensive Patients with Atherosclerotic Plaque Detected by Carotid Doppler Ultrasound: An Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Assessment
by Irina Barca, Vasile Potop and Stefan Sorin Arama
Life 2026, 16(3), 436; https://doi.org/10.3390/life16030436 - 9 Mar 2026
Viewed by 472
Abstract
Background: Our study aimed to evaluate whether OCTA can detect retinal dysfunction in hypertensive patients with atherosclerotic plaque in order to improve early detection of vascular changes and to better adjust treatment protocols. Therefore, we can potentially reduce the rate of ocular, [...] Read more.
Background: Our study aimed to evaluate whether OCTA can detect retinal dysfunction in hypertensive patients with atherosclerotic plaque in order to improve early detection of vascular changes and to better adjust treatment protocols. Therefore, we can potentially reduce the rate of ocular, cardiovascular and cerebral complications of hypertension and of dyslipidemia. Methods: We performed a study on hypertensive patients with dyslipidemia undergoing specific treatment. Ten OCTA parameters, the presence of carotid plaque on carotid Doppler ultrasound and three types of antihypertensive drugs were analyzed. An increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) (≥1.0 mm) or the presence of carotid plaque was defined as subclinical atherosclerosis. We correlated classes of medication with OCTA parameters and with Doppler assessment. Results: In the final study, we included 196 eyes of 98 patients; 51 subjects had carotid plaques. Three groups were formed: antihypertensive monotherapy, including Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or Calcium channel blocker (CCB) + statins, and combined antihypertensive therapy, including ACEI/Angiotensin Receptor Blocker (ARB) + statins. We found statistically significant results in the presence of atherosclerotic plaques as follows: increased avascular zone (FAZ) and decreased vascular flow area (VFA) in the ACEI group, increased FAZ Circularity and a reduction in Density Total in the CCB lot, higher values of non-flow area (NFA), FAZ Area and decreased Density Total in the ACEI/ARB group. Conclusions: The strongest correlations we found were between increased hypertension, decreased retinal microcirculation and the presence of atherosclerotic plaques in patients using combined antihypertensive therapy and statins. The results indicate that subjects with multiple therapies, advancing hypertensive retinopathy and atherosclerotic carotid plaques display a deficit in retinal vascularization. OCTA can provide early detection of microvascular changes in hypertension associated with dyslipidemia and carotid plaques. Thus, by correlating OCTA and carotid Doppler ultrasound, antihypertensive and statin therapy can be adjusted and disease risk stratification can be obtained. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Glaucoma Diseases)

Review

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24 pages, 2848 KB  
Review
Complement, Inflammasome, and Microglial Crosstalk in Glaucoma: From Neurodegeneration to Immune-Based Precision Therapy
by Tony Yihao Chen, Na Wu and Xinghuai Sun
Life 2026, 16(3), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/life16030368 - 24 Feb 2026
Viewed by 909
Abstract
Glaucoma is no longer viewed solely as a pressure-mediated optic neuropathy but as a chronic neurodegenerative disease with a strong immune component. Across experimental models and patient samples, convergent inflammatory circuitry complement activation, NLRP3 inflammasome signaling, and microglial reactivity emerge as a central [...] Read more.
Glaucoma is no longer viewed solely as a pressure-mediated optic neuropathy but as a chronic neurodegenerative disease with a strong immune component. Across experimental models and patient samples, convergent inflammatory circuitry complement activation, NLRP3 inflammasome signaling, and microglial reactivity emerge as a central driver of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) dysfunction and death. Local complement upregulation (C1q, C3, C5) in the retina and optic nerve head (ONH) promotes aberrant synaptic tagging, phagoptosis, and membrane attack complex stress. In parallel, biomechanical strain, ischemia, mitochondrial damage, and danger-associated molecular patterns prime and activate the NLRP3 inflammasome in microglia, astrocytes, and ONH cells, leading to caspase-1 activation, IL-1β/IL-18 maturation, and pyroptotic or apoptotic injury. Microglia integrate these cues, shifting from early protective surveillance to chronic maladaptive states that amplify complement and inflammasome outputs. This review synthesizes mechanistic links within the complement NLRP3 microglia axis, considers systemic and adaptive immune contributions, and proposes a translational framework for immune-based clinical stratification. The literature for this review was identified through searches of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus using combinations of the terms ‘glaucoma’, ‘complement’, ‘inflammasome’, ‘NLRP3’, ‘microglia’, and ‘neuroinflammation’. Priority was given to recent experimental, translational, and clinical studies. We then evaluate emerging immunomodulatory therapies, complement inhibitors, inflammasome blockers, microglial state reprogrammers, cytokine biologics, and cell-derived immunoregulatory approaches, highlighting biomarkers and trial design needs. An immune systems view of glaucoma enables precision neuroprotection for patients who progress despite controlled intraocular pressure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Glaucoma Diseases)
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