Grant: Operating Grant

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, projected to affect 80 million people by 2020. This devastating disease most often occurs when the eye is unable to clear fluid, leading to a build-up of pressure and, eventually, degeneration of the nerve connecting the eye to the brain. Most patients require multiple types of medications to lower pressure. Unfortunately, there are only a few options, and side effects are common. As a result, many patients require surgery, which itself comes with the risk of complication and blindness. Thus, there is a real need for new glaucoma drugs - ones with new mechanisms and minimal side effects. Lymphatic vessels, which pump fluid out of tissues, were recently discovered in the eye by our laboratory. We propose to study the effects of lymphatics on fluid drainage from the eye, and to manipulate these vessels to lower pressure in the eye. This work has the potential to stimulate development of new glaucoma medications to prevent blindness.