Relationship between intraocular pressure and glaucoma onset and progression

Open-angle glaucoma is a multifactorial disease, and among the several risk factors, a high intraocular pressure represents the most consistent and the only one that can be modified in order to provide a significant impact over the course of the disease. High intraocular pressure is significantly associated to the onset and the progression of open angle glaucoma, and the results of several randomised controlled clinical trials have consistently attributed a higher 10% higher risk for both the development and the progression of the disease to each higher single mmHg. Intraocular pressure has been studied in terms of mean value and short-term and long-term fluctuations. As of today the mean value represents the most significant factor whereas the importance of both short-term and long-term fluctuations is still debated.