Steroid-induced ocular hypertension and effects of glucocorticoids on the trabecular meshwork

The therapeutic use of glucocorticoids can cause steroid-induced ocular hypertension and that can lead to secondary glaucoma in susceptible individuals. This elevated intraocular pressure is due to increased aqueous outflow resistance and is associated with morphological and biochemical changes to the trabecular meshwork, and many of these changes mimic what occurs in primary open-angle glaucoma. Glucocorticoids have a wide variety of effects on the trabecular meshwork (TM), altering extracellular matrix metabolism, the cytoskeleton, gene and protein expression as well as inhibiting TM cell functions. Despite years of research on the effects of glucocorticoids on the TM, we still do not know the molecular mechanisms responsible for steroid-induced ocular hypertension.