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FUTURE TRENDS
At some point, probably during the next ten years, most genes related to glaucoma will be identified and genetic testing will become available. It will allow those who wish to know their risk of developing glaucoma to identify that risk. Certainly, it will permit aggressive treatment of those most likely to require it and avoid many unnecessary treatments.
Better ways to measure the relevant blood flow, as for instance with laser Doppler, will become available and create a basis against which to judge the effects of treatments for improving blood flow.
Laser and other special optical devices will reach such a level of reliability and affordability that they may become the first choice in measuring the rate of change, if any, of the optic nerve fibers, thereby detecting the earliest possible change.
 New medications will be available, from a drug called Rescular, which already is in use in Japan, to other medications which might be injected once a month. Currently, a new class of medications is undergoing initial trials which aim to mop up the toxic substances released by the dead cells, in particular glutamate. These medications are to be taken orally and may have systemic side effects. Although they are potentially an exciting development, one should bear in mind that similar drugs have failed in other areas like stroke therapy.
Although there is little evidence that the long-term use of marihuana is of true benefit in lowering eye pressure, eventually a compound might be isolated from it that could have a sustained effect in lowering the pressure. That is not the case at this time.
There is some suggestion that one capsule of the herbal preparation Gingko Biloba taken twice a day may improve the blood flow to the eye, and hence help prevent some glaucoma damage. This still has to be established. And the same holds for acupuncture.
In the very near future, endoscopic surgery for glaucoma will become a reality, with much faster healing times and hopefully even better success rates.
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