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How does glaucoma damage the optic nerve and lead to optic atrophy?

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atrophy One example of atrophy is the progressive loss of bone that occurs in osteoporosis (normal bone shown on left; osteoporotic bone shown on right).

Glaucoma damages the optic nerve primarily through the effects of elevated intraocular pressure, which occurs when the drainage channels for aqueous humor become blocked.1

When intraocular pressure remains abnormally high for an extended period, it causes damage to the retinal ganglion cells. These cells are critical because their axonal projections collectively form the optic nerve, which transmits visual data to the brain. The susceptibility of these cells to damage varies significantly among individuals, meaning that even "normal" eye pressure can sometimes lead to optic atrophy in susceptible patients.12

As these nerve fibers are destroyed, the resulting degeneration is known as optic atrophy. Because this process involves the permanent loss of neural tissue, vision loss from glaucoma cannot be restored; medical and surgical treatments are therefore focused on lowering intraocular pressure to prevent further damage and preserve remaining visual function.231