Exfoliation syndrome and exfoliation glaucoma ‐ Current research and Management in Georgia

Exfoliation Syndrome (XFS) is an age‐related disorder of extracellular matrix affecting millions of people worldwide. It is the most common identifiable cause of glaucoma which is characterized by much more severe clinical course, more fluctuation of intraocular pressure (IOP), less response to medical treatment, faster progression of optic nerve atrophy and visual field deterioration, more frequent need of surgical treatment. XFS is a heritable condition. This fact is long known from familial aggregation studies. Very little is known about the mechanisms of disease development. This is especially true about Exfoliation Glaucoma (XFG), considering that not every XFS patient converts to XFG. The only evidence‐based treatment of XFG nowadays is IOP lowering, although addressing mechanisms of IOP elevation could be the best preventive and treatment measure. The aim of this talk is to summarize the current status of genetic studies of XFS/XFG and to provide some tips for treatment based on several clinical examples.