Ocular Rigidity and Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a multifactorial disease leading to irreversible damage to the retinal ganglion cells’ axons and consequent visual field loss. Despite investigations over the last century to elucidate the link between ocular rigidity (OR) and the pathophysiology of glaucoma, our understanding of this association remains limited. Some evidence suggests that the stiffness of the sclera, major contributor to the rigidity of the corneoscleral shell, is the most influential factor of stress and strain at the optic nerve head. However, it is likely that the interplay between the geometrical and material properties of the sclera and lamina cribrosa specific to individual eyes determines the susceptibility of developing glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Recent developments in the field, including that of a non-invasive and direct OR measurement technique in living human eyes will help elucidate the involvement of OR both in early and later stages of glaucoma by facilitating large scale and longitudinal studies.