ABSTRACT
Primary open-angle glaucoma is a chronic ocular disease that is usually characterized by an elevation of intraocular pressure (lOP) caused by inadequate drainage of aqueous humor. This leads to a gradual deterioration of the optic nerve, ultimately resulting in blindness. The ciliary body (see Figure 19.1) is the source of aqueous humor, which initially flows through the posterior chamber, continues via a gap between the iris and lens, and traverses the pupil to the anterior chamber, where it ultimately exits Schlemm's canal. This drainage structure is a I to 2 )1m diameter channel, concentric with the outer border of the iris and located near its attachment to the anterior section of the ciliary body. It is covered with three layers of the trabecular meshwork (see Figure 19.1), which are structures that serve to tilter debris.
