Glaucoma is a group of neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) death and visual field defect.Although its pathological mechanism is unclear, elevated intraocular pressure is considered to be the main contributing factor.As the main components of the aqueous humor drainage system, the structural abnormalities, dysfunction of trabecular meshwork and Schlemm canals may cause aqueous humor outflow obstruction and result in elevated intraocular pressure.Increasing evidences suggest that oxidative stress is the key factor leading to the apoptosis, dysfunction of the human trabecular meshwork cell, and other progression of degenerative changes.Oxidative damage is an imbalance between the oxidative stress and anti-oxidative system, which leads to lipid peroxidation, protein denaturation and DNA damage.Previous studies showed that the level of oxidative biomarker was elevated in the aqueous humor of glaucoma patients.In addition, oxidative stress is thought contributing to the pathogenesis of DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation in human trabecular meshwork cells.This review considered the contribution of oxidative stress on human trabecular mesh work dysfunction and its possible mechanisms.

Oxidative stress; Trabecular meshwork; Glaucoma