According to a new study, intracranial pressure plays a substantial role in normal-tension glaucoma, which accounts for 50% of all cases of glaucoma globally. Glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness in those over 60, is mostly caused by optic nerve deterioration. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), commonly referred to as "eye pressure," is a common symptom in glaucoma patients. Meanwhile, the prevalence of so-called "normal tension glaucoma" (NTG) among patients in the global population ranges from 30 to 90%.

Professor Dr. Arminas Ragauskas of the Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) in Lithuania stated that the scientific community is becoming more aware that glaucoma is a condition caused by two pressures: those inside the eye and those inside the skull. He explained that both intracranial pressure (ICT), which is pressure inside our skull measured in the cerebrospinal fluid, and intraocular pressure (IOP) can affect the condition of the optic nerve.

In the multinational study, researchers from Lithuanian, Israeli, and American universities enrolled 80 early-stage normal tension glaucoma (NTG) patients. During the study duration, they recorded the intraocular (IOP), intracranial (ICP), and visual field perimetry of each patient.

The findings of the study revealed a statistically significant correlation between intracranial pressure, TPD, and visual field changes. The researchers revealed that a higher TPD was associated with more significant damage to the patient`s visual field.

Hence, they concluded that higher TPD is a risk factor for the adverse onset of normal tension glaucoma. The greater the translaminar pressure difference (TPD), calculated by subtracting ICP from IOP, the lower the intracranial pressure measurement. Hence, decreased intracranial pressure is a potential risk factor for normal-tension glaucoma. 

(Source: https://theprint.in/health/low-brain-pressure-may-increase-chance-of-developing-glaucoma-research/1384167/ )