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Glaucoma Drainage Devices

Advances in Design and Surgical Techniques

  • Chapter
Visual Prosthesis and Ophthalmic Devices

Part of the book series: Ophthalmology Research ((OPHRES))

Abstract

Glaucoma is a group of optic neuropathies that share a slowly progressive degeneration of the retinal ganglion cells and their axons, resulting in a distinct appearance of the optic disc and a concurrent pattern of vision loss (1). Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world with estimates that it affects 66.8 million individuals worldwide (2); at least 6.7 million of these affected people suffer from complete blindness (2). The vision loss associated with this disease is irreversible, yet the biological basis of glaucoma and the factors contributing to its progression have not been completely elucidated (1). Intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only proven treatable risk factor in glaucoma (1). As such, glaucoma is theoretically defined as a progressive optic neuropathy as a result of elevation of IOP above the physiological level of individuals (3). The upper limit of “normal” IOP, based on a large number of subjects, is internationally accepted as being approx 21 mmHg as a standard in the clinical diagnosis of glaucoma (3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Cheryl L. Cullen DVM, MVetSc

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  1. Cheryl L. Cullen DVM, MVetSc
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

    Joyce Tombran-Tink PhD

  2. Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA

    Colin J. Barnstable DPhil (Professor and Chair, Director and Co-Director) (Professor and Chair, Director and Co-Director)

  3. Penn State Hershey Neuroscience Research Institute, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA

    Colin J. Barnstable DPhil (Professor and Chair, Director and Co-Director) (Professor and Chair, Director and Co-Director)

  4. Penn State Neuroscience Institute, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA

    Colin J. Barnstable DPhil (Professor and Chair, Director and Co-Director) (Professor and Chair, Director and Co-Director)

  5. Ophthalmology Department, Harvard Medical School, Veteran’s Administration Hospital, Boston, MA

    Joseph F. Rizzo III MD (Director) (Director)

  6. Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Veteran’s Administration Hospital, Boston, MA

    Joseph F. Rizzo III MD (Director) (Director)

  7. Center of Innovative Visual Rehabilitation, Veteran’s Administration Hospital, Boston, MA

    Joseph F. Rizzo III MD (Director) (Director)

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Cullen, C.L. (2007). Glaucoma Drainage Devices. In: Tombran-Tink, J., Barnstable, C.J., Rizzo, J.F. (eds) Visual Prosthesis and Ophthalmic Devices. Ophthalmology Research. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-449-0_12

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