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So it's a bit of an open question exactly what causes glaucoma. Optic nerve degeneration is one of the potential causes but nerve damage within the eye due to d

So it's a bit of an open question exactly what causes glaucoma. Optic nerve degeneration is one of the potential causes but nerve damage within the eye due to decreased blood flow or due to increased intraocular pressure are both possible. In the latter two cases, basically all of that damage is limited to within the nerves within the eye and the optic nerve head whereas more general degeneration of the optic nerve would likely occur across the entire optic nerve up to and potentially through and past the optic chiasma. This project (THEA) is primarily about pursuing whole functional eye (i.e. the entire eye "ball") transplants and reconnecting/regenerating the optic nerve to a new eye. If this succeeds it would mean that any degeneration in the retina or optic nerve head would be curable. And potentially the techniques pioneered in regenerating the optic nerve would provide a starting point for addressing degeneration further up the optic nerve all the way through the optic chiasma and optic track up into the brain. So TLDR: If this project is successful it should mean a functional cure for most degenerative eye diseases even including most forms of glaucoma. And potentially it could lead to inroads in curing dementia related vision loss and other cognitive decline related vision loss. https://arpa-h.gov/research-and-funding/programs/thea https://arpa-h.gov/research-and-funding/programs/thea

robwwilliams 2y ago
There is no doubt that retinal ganglion cell death causes glaucoma. But you are right that what causes ganglion cells to die is more complex. Mitochondrial stress and metabolic decompensation are certainly critical. Axonal injury is a key trigger in many cases. High intraocular pressure is the most common cause for metabolic cellular stress leading to gsngliin cell death.
- CuriousCosmic 2y ago
  Yep. I worded it a bit awkwardly but that was what I was getting at. And mostly I was trying to make the distinction between damage within the "eyeball" vs more comprehensive damage further up the optic nerve as that distinction would determine how viable a transplant would be at recovering lost vision.

robwwilliams 2y ago

There is no doubt that retinal ganglion cell death causes glaucoma. But you are right that what causes ganglion cells to die is more complex. Mitochondrial stress and metabolic decompensation are certainly critical. Axonal injury is a key trigger in many cases. High intraocular pressure is the most common cause for metabolic cellular stress leading to gsngliin cell death.

CuriousCosmic 2y ago
Yep. I worded it a bit awkwardly but that was what I was getting at. And mostly I was trying to make the distinction between damage within the "eyeball" vs more comprehensive damage further up the optic nerve as that distinction would determine how viable a transplant would be at recovering lost vision.