TY - JOUR AB - Normal‑tension glaucoma (NTG) is a multifactorial optic neuropathy which, similar to open‑angle glaucomas, is characterized by progressive retinal ganglion cell death and glaucomatous visual field loss. The major distinction of NTG from open‑angle glaucomas is that the intraocular pressure (IOP) does not exceed the normal range. Missing the major risk factor and target of therapy, the elevated IOP, NTG poses a clinical challenge. Several insightful reviews have been published on the pathophysiology of NTG describing the possible underlying mechanisms. The current literature available also suggests that a significant percentage of patients with NTG (as high as 21%) have a family history of glaucoma, indicating a genetic predisposition to the disease. These facts strengthen the indication that NTG remains an enigmatic process. The aim of this review was to summarize the vascular, mechanical and genetic components considered to be responsible for NTG development and to discuss the mechanisms through which they are involved in the pathogenesis of NTG. AD - Department of Ophthalmology, Konstantopouleio‑Patission General Hospital, 14233 Athens, Greece Laboratory of Anatomy‑Histology‑Embryology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece Section of Molecular Pathology and Human Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece AU - Trivli,Alexandra AU - Koliarakis,Ioannis AU - Terzidou,Chryssa AU - Goulielmos,George  ,N. AU - Siganos,Charalambos ,S. AU - Spandidos,Demetrios  ,A. AU - Dalianis,Georgios AU - Detorakis,Efstathios ,T. DA - 2019/01/01 DO - 10.3892/etm.2018.7011 EP - 574 IS - 1 JO - Exp Ther Med KW - glaucoma normal tension intraocular pressure patho­genesis genetics PY - 2019 SN - 1792-0981 1792-1015 SP - 563 ST - Normal‑tension glaucoma: Pathogenesis and genetics (Review) T2 - Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine TI - Normal‑tension glaucoma: Pathogenesis and genetics (Review) UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.7011 VL - 17 ER -