The eye contains a fluid known as aqueous humor that provides nourishment to its structures. This fluid is produced by the ciliary body (located behind the iris) and then flows between the iris and lens, through the pupil to the anterior part of the iris where is drained out through a sieve like structure called the trabecular meshwork, at the anterior chamber angle (located at the merging of the cornea-sclera with the iris periphery).
Many (but not all) cases of glaucoma occur due to a sufficiently elevated IOP, caused by impairment of the normal aqueous humor drainage.
Drainage system of the eye
Vid. 1. NORMAL AQUEOUS FLOW evolving to aqueous drainage impairment and glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
Fig. 1. Drainage system of the eye: blue arrows showing normal aqueous outflow.
Fig. 2. Drainage system of the eye: red arrows showing impaired outflow due to trabecular meshwork impairment.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4. Drainage system of the eye: red arrows showing impaired outflow due to trabecular meshwork impairment.
