Background Glaucoma is a heterogeneous group of conditions involving progressive damage to the optic nerve, deterioration of retinal ganglion cells, and ultimately visual field loss. It is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Open angle glaucoma (OAG), the most common form of glaucoma, is a chronic condition that may or may not present with increased intraocular pressure (IOP). Neuroprotection for glaucoma refers to any intervention intended to prevent optic nerve damage or cell death. Objectives The objective of this review was to systematically examine the evidence regarding the effectiveness of neuroprotective agents for slowing the progression of OAG in adults compared with no neuroprotective agent, placebo, or other glaucoma treatment. Search methods We searched CENTRAL (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Trials Register) (2016, Issue 7), Ovid MEDLINE, Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE Daily (January 1946 to August 2016), Embase (January 1980 to August 2016), Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) (January 1982 to August 2016), the ISRCTN registry (www.isrctn.com/editAdvancedSearch), ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov), and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (www.who.int/ictrp/search/en). We did not use any date or language restrictions in the electronic searches for trials. We last searched the electronic databases on 16 August 2016. Selection criteria We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in which topical or oral treatments were used for neuroprotection in adults with OAG. Minimum follow-up time was four years. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently reviewed titles and abstracts from the literature searches. We obtained full-text copies of potentially relevant studies and re-evaluated for inclusion. Two review authors independently extracted data related to study characteristics, risk of bias, and outcomes. We identified one trial for this review, thus we performed no meta-analysis. Two studies comparing memantine to placebo are currently awaiting classification until study investigators provide additional study details. We documented reasons for excluding studies from the review. Main results We included one multicenter RCT of adults with low-pressure glaucoma (Low-pressure Glaucoma Treatment Study, LoGTS) conducted in the USA. The primary outcome was progression of visual field loss after four years of treatment with either brimonidine or timolol. Of the 190 adults enrolled in the study, the investigators excluded 12 (6.3%) after randomization; 77 participants (40.5%) did not complete four years of follow-up. The rate of attrition was unbalanced between groups with more participants dropping out of the brimonidine group (55%) than the timolol group (29%). Of those remaining in the study at four years, participants assigned to brimonidine showed less progression of visual field loss than participants assigned to tim...

Background Glaucoma is a heterogeneous group of conditions involving progressive damage to the optic nerve, deterioration of retinal ganglion cells and ultimately visual field loss. It is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Open angle glaucoma (OAG), the commonest form of glaucoma, is a chronic condition that may or may not present with increased intraocular pressure (IOP). Neuroprotection for glaucoma refers to any intervention intended to prevent optic nerve damage or cell death. The treatment can target extracellular factors such as reducing IOP, or cellular factors derived from the optic nerve itself such as blocking intracellular death signals. Objectives The objective of this review was to systematically examine the evidence regarding the effectiveness of neuroprotective agents, either topical or oral, for slowing the progression of OAG in adults. Search methods We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group Trials Register) (The Cochrane Library, Issue 4, 2009), MEDLINE (January 1960 to January 2010), EMBASE (January 1980 to January 2010), Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) (January 1982 to January 2010) and ClinicalTrials.gov (http://clinicaltrials.gov). (5 January 2010). There were no language or date restrictions in the search for trials. The electronic databases were last searched on 5 January 2010. Selection criteria This review was limited to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in which topical or oral treatments were used to prevent retinal ganglion cell death. Our population of interest was adults with OAG. As the primary outcome for this review was the proportion of participants who developed any progression of visual field loss at five years post intervention, only trials with at least five years of follow-up were included. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently reviewed titles and abstracts from the literature searches. Full text copies of relevant or potentially relevant studies were obtained and re-evaluated for inclusion. There were no trials identified for this review, thus we performed no data extraction or meta-analysis. Two studies comparing memantine to placebo are currently awaiting classification until additional study details are provided. Reasons for excluding studies from the review were documented. Main results In accordance with the selection criteria for inclusion, we identified no studies relevant for this review. The results of short-term trials and other studies are discussed in this review. Authors' conclusions Although neuroprotective agents are intended to act as pharmacological antagonists to prevent cell death, the evidence that they are effective in preventing retinal ganglion cell death, and thus preserving vision in patients with OAG, has not been demonstrated. Long-term RCTs are needed to determine whether or not neuroprotective agents may be beneficial for individuals with OAG.

Background-Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) is a full-thickness break in the sensory retina, caused by vitreous traction on the retina. While pneumatic retinopexy, scleral buckle, and vitrectomy are the accepted surgical interventions for eyes with RRD, their relative effectiveness has remained controversial.Objectives-The objectives of this review were to assess the effectiveness and safety of pneumatic retinopexy versus scleral buckle or pneumatic retinopexy versus a combination treatment of scleral buckle and vitrectomy for people with RRD. The secondary objectives were to summarize any data on economic measures and quality of life.

The results of this study support the rare association of OPTN sequence variants with familial forms of LTG. The E50K mutation seems to be associated with a severe form of LTG, and although rare, the identification of this sequence variant in patients at risk may help direct appropriate therapy.

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