Involvement of Oxidative Stress in the Pathogenesis of Glaucoma

Oxidative stress can be defined as an increase over physiological values in the

intracellular concentrations of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). ROS include

molecules such as superoxide anion (O2 ), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl

radical (OH), nitric oxide (NO), peroxyl radical (ROO) and singlet oxygen (1O2).

This situation can occur when there are changes in the endogenous activity of

antioxidant enzymes (e.g. catalase, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, metal-

lothionein) and/or concentrations of vitamins (A,D,E) (Figure 1).