Higher oxygen levels in the eyes may explain why African Americans have a higher risk of glaucoma than Caucasians. Surgeons at Washington University in St. Louis suspect more oxygen may damage the drainage system in the eye, resulting in elevated pressure. Higher pressure can damage the optic nerve, causing blindness. The study—published in the July issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology—offers the first physiologic clue about the link between race and risk for glaucoma.
