Alzheimer's disease and primary open-angle glaucoma: is there a connection

Fani Tsolaki¹, Eleni Gogaki¹, Sotiria Tiganita¹, Christina Skatharoudi¹, Chrysanthi Lopatatzidi¹, Fotios Topouzis², Magdalini Tsolaki^3
1Ophthalmology Department, Hippokrateion General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece; ²Ophthalmology Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece;
³Neurology Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Aim: To present, through a thorough literature research, current and older scientific efforts to investigate the putative association between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and glaucoma, especially primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
Methods: We included in our review article epidemiological, experimental and clinical laboratory studies.
Results: While many authors support the existence of a strong correlation between the AD and POAG, based on epidemiological, genetic and immunohistochemical data, others present contradictory results, leaving the issue unresolved.
Conclusion: Further research, probably targeted towards genetic parameters and based on large, multicenter studies has yet to be conducted. It is the authors' opinion however, that the existing data already justify the need for at least some degree of elevated clinical alertness for the occurrence of AD in patients with glaucoma and of glaucoma in patients with AD.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, primary open-angle glaucoma, amyloid beta, apolipoprotein E, cerebrospinal fluid pressure, review article