Main description:

The Science of Glaucoma Management: From Translational Research to Next-Generation Clinical Practice bridges the gap between laboratory research and clinicians by bringing the latest promising research directly from researchers to clinicians long before they translate into clinical advances, and often before they are presented at conferences. Organized as a series of clinically relevant topics written by world-leading experts, this book summarizes the current state of laboratory and translational research and draws on the potential implications for day-to-day clinical practice. It offers new insights and mind-opening statements through contributions from some of the most respected glaucoma research groups.

The book allows glaucoma specialists to explore novel ways to refine and rethink their practice based on the latest discoveries in basic sciences and breakthrough technologies, and to gain a better understanding on how their specialty is evolving and how research may shape tomorrow's practice.

Contents:

Part 1: Currently Accepted Glaucoma Practice
1. Pathophysiology
2. Epidemiology
3. Diagnosis and investigations
4. Follow-up
5. Treatments
6. Section Summary: Discussion on the major unmet needs of the specialty

Part 2: Pathophysiology and investigation methods
7. Glaucoma epidemiology: the role of genetics and biomarkers
8. Considerations for an efficient screening programmes for glaucoma
9. Ocular perfusion in glaucoma and the role of arterial blood pressure
10. The role of circadian and extrinsic intraocular pressure fluctuations
11. Pseudo-exfoliative glaucoma: epidemiology, pathophysiology and their clinical impact
12. Retinal and optic nerve micro-perfusion and the role of OCT-A
13. Structural testing modalities: cicrumpapillary RNFL, BMO-MRW, macular RNFL or vessel density?
14. Statistical considerations on visual field testing: how frequent is frequent-enough?
15. Novelties in functional testing: the role of contrast sensitivity, electrophysiology and colour vision
16. Section Summary: Diagnosing the grey zone and follow-up considerations

Part 3: Medical and laser therapies
17. Social and psychological aspects of treatment adherence
18. Topical medications and ocular surface
19. Novel pressure-lowering medications and research alternatives
20. Novel drug delivery methods
21. Matrix metalloproteinase
22. Medical lasers, basic principles and core differences
23. Physiological principles and effects of SLT; discussion over the LIGHT Trial
24. Prophylactic iridotomy in narrow angle glaucoma
25. Aqueous dynamics, glaucoma and corneal health (considerations for iridotomies)
26. Section Summary: Recommendations in treatment-naive open-angle glaucoma, treatment escalation protocols, and patient-specific considerations

Part 4: Surgical options
27. Anatomical, mechanical and physiological effect of cataract surgery in open and narrow angle glaucoma
28. Anatomical considerations on trabecular meshwork, Schlemm's canal and collecting channels
29. The role of ocular inflammation, fluid dynamics and bleb morphology in surgical outcomes (including long-term conjunctival sensitization with fibroblast, aqueous inflammatory markers, and effect of aqueous flow on bleb viability; and considerations on early/delayed surgery)
30. Aqueous angiography and targeted surgery
31. Minimally-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) device design considerations
32. Novel approaches to aqueous drainage
33. Adjustable drainage devices: benefits and shortcomings
34. Implantable intraocular pressure sensors and telemedicine
35. Laser-assisted surgery
36. Considerations on glaucoma clinical trials
37. Section Summary: Surgical considerations: Finding the best patient-surgeon-procedure match

Part 5: New technologies
38. Artificial intelligence and Big Data: technical considerations and clinical applications
39. Detection of apoptosing retinal cells (DARC) in glaucoma
40. Neuroprotection and neurostimulation
41. Clinical trials in neuroprotection: special considerations
42. Neuro-regeneration and stem-cell therapies
43. Gene therapy
44. Section Summary: Predicting the future of glaucoma practice