Glaucoma is a degenerative disease that involves both eyes ; if the intraocular pressure rises excessively, permanent damage to the optic nerve results, resulting in low vision and blindness.

There may be a progressive reduction of the visual field up to the so -called “tubular” vision ; that is, the person concerned has the sensation of looking through a cone, because he can see only a small part of what he has in front of his eyes.

There are several forms of glaucoma, the most common being chronic open-angle or closed-angle glaucoma and congenital glaucoma.

In Italy, about one million and 200 thousand people suffer from glaucoma , there are about 55 million people affected by this disorder in the world and it is estimated that in the next few years there will be an increase in this pathology.

According to a WHO devaluation, about half of patients with glaucoma do not realize they have the disorder; in fact, the diagnosis is usually late and occurs when the pathology is already quite advanced .

The age group most affected is that of the elderly , starting from 60-65 years; however, the disorder can also affect younger subjects, starting from 40.

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The news in glaucoma therapy

In March 2018 , the 2nd international congress of the Italian Association for the Study of Glaucoma ( AISG ) was held in Milan, in which the novelties in the therapeutic field were discussed.

” The real big news is being able to treat the second most common type of glaucoma, the ‘closed-angle’ one, with the same operation that is performed for cataracts “ , said Professor Stefano Miglior , director of the Ophthalmology Clinic, Monza Polyclinic. , Milano Bicocca University and president of the 2nd International Congress of the Italian Association for the Study of Glaucoma (AISG).

“With phacoemulsification, narrow-angle glaucoma, from which 10% of glaucomatosis (70% women) suffer, and even say goodbye to drugs”, explains the expert, “since by removing, as is done for cataracts, the lens that continues to grow allows the iridocorneal angle to remain open “.

Another novelty concerns the introduction of new surgical devices such as MIGS (Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery).

These are ” microcannulas ” that are implanted in Schlemm’s canal , normalizing intraocular pressure and facilitating the passage of aqueous humor through an internal wall of the trabeculae .

However, these surgical strategies are very expensive and the results are not always satisfactory.

As far as medical therapy is concerned , ” a new class of molecules, the so-called rho-kinases, could be introduced in some time “, announced Professor Miglior , ” whose efficacy, however, does not seem to be superior to the prostaglandin derivatives that make up the first line in the treatment of glaucoma “.