'Aqueous Humor Outflow' featured in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visu...( Rockville Md. -- The proceedings from...),Health

Rockville, Md. -- The proceedings from the second annual ARVO/Pfizer Ophthalmics Research Institute conference, "Aqueous Humor Outflow: What Do We Know? Where Will It Lead Us?" were published today in the October issue of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (IOVS). The conference, held on April 28 and 29, 2006, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., brought together experts from within and outside the eye field to evaluate the current understanding of the aqueous outflow pathway; determine what the most important scientific questions are; and discuss how these questions can be answered in the future.

Conference attendees consisted of 31 researchers on aqueous outflow, eight scientists working outside the field but with expertise relevant to the subject, and 11 observers. Four general areas of outflow research were examined: Conventional Outflow: Cell Function in the Aqueous Humor Outflow Pathway; Conventional Outflow: Role of the Extracellular Matrix; Uveoscleral Outflow: The Other Pathway; and Normal vs. Primary Open Angle Glaucoma: What is the Cause of Elevated Pressure?

Many patients with glaucoma have high pressure within the eye due to the inability of the aqueous humor fluid to drain from the eye. Aqueous humor is produced within the eye and supplies nutrients to tissues in the front part of the eye. Aqueous humor exits the eye via two different pathways: through the trabecular meshwork and into Schlemm's canal or a pathway through the ciliary muscle and other downstream tissues. Understanding of the aqueous humor outflow pathways is imperative to understanding drainage problems in glaucoma.

"The goal of this conference was to identify the most important unanswered research questions within the area of aqueous humor outflow pathways. Because of this opportunity and the work of the investigators at the conference, new ideas for research were identified (summarized in the article). We believe over the next few years, new discover
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Contact: Elinore Tibbetts
etibbetts@arvo.org
240-221-2923
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
27-Sep-2006