Progress on glaucoma animal model researches

Glaucoma is a group of progressive optic neuropathies, characterized by the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and visual field loss, and chronically elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is a well-known and well-studied risk factor for disease progression. The animal model is one of the main methods to research glaucoma: by blocked the outflow pathway of aqueous humor, increased outflow resistance, and increased IOP to produce direct mechanical damage on optic nerve, which is common principle to established glaucoma animal model. According to the duration of IOP increased, the models can be divided into acute and chronic model. The chronic model was established by induced IOP increased chronically and steadily. But the acute glaucoma model was induced by IOP increased sharply to make the RGCs deathed progressively. There are many methods to established animal models of glaucoma, but did not have an ideal model that can fit the occurrence and development of chronic glaucoma well. (Int Rev Ophthalmol, 2018, 42: 53-59) Key words: animal models; glaucoma; introcular pressure; outflow pathway of aqueous humor