Emerging risk factors for glaucoma onset and progression.

Glaucoma is a complex, multifactorial neurodegenerative disease process that leads to progressive damage to the optic nerve and irreversible visual impairment. Identification of ocular and systemic risk factors for disease onset and progression is critical for disease detection and surveillance. Although a great deal is known about risk factors for glaucoma, our expanding knowledge of glaucoma genotypes and phenotypes combined with advancements in technology and understanding of disease progression is rapidly enhancing our understanding of who is at greatest risk for glaucomatous visual impairment.