Trabecular meshwork in normal and pathological eyes.

PURPOSE

The impact of glycosaminoglycans on intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients and in healthy young or aging subjects is explored.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty small autoptic samples were harvested from the tissue localized around the iridocorneal angle of the eye, taking care not to cause aesthetic damage. The samples came from three groups (young, old, and subjects with glaucoma). All samples were divided in two fragments and both were used for morphological and biochemical analyses. Quantitative data were obtained from image analysis to correlate with biochemical values. All results were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

The findings show the following changes of iridocorneal angle are caused by glycosaminoglycans both in aging and in glacoumatous patients: (1) deposition of fibrous granular material and increased electron density of the structures close to the iridocorneal angle; and (2) strong decrease of hyaluronic acid content and increase of sulfated glycosaminoglycans.

CONCLUSIONS

Similar to what happens in other tissues in the body, glycosaminoglycans of the human iridocorneal angle undergo physiological and pathological changes. The trabecular meshwork is the structure responsible for the regulation of the aqueous humor outflow that is often altered in primary open-angle glaucoma patients.