Macro- and microglial responses in the fellow eyes contralateral to glaucomatous eyes

Abstract

Most studies employing experimental models of unilateral glaucoma have used the normotensive contralateral eye as the normal control. However, some studies have recently reported the activation of the retinal macroglia and microglia in the uninjured eye, suggesting that the eye contralateral to experimental glaucoma should not be used as a control. This review analyzes the studies describing the contralateral findings and discusses some of the routes through which the signals can reach the contralateral eye to initiate the glial reactivation.

Keywords: ACAID; Astrocytes; Blood-retinal barrier; Contralateral eye; Experimental glaucoma; Immune system; Inflammation; Macroglia; Microglia; Müller cells; Retina.