Neuroanatomical changes in patients with loss of visual function

Eye diseases that cause loss of visual function are associated with changes in the brain. However, the underlying mechanism of this association is still unclear. Research into this association is important, since the remaining capacity of the brain to conduct and process the input from the eye is believed to be a crucial factor that can affect the success of future vision restoration treatments. Moreover, such research can provide information for a better understanding of the origin of the investigated eye disease.
The aim of this thesis was to discover which mechanisms could explain the association between loss of visual function and changes in the brain in general. To investigate this, I studied changes in the brain in various eye diseases that cause visual deprivation. In conclude that changes in the brain – due to loss of visual input – plays an important role in all of the cases. Furthermore, I found evidence that suggests that the eye diseases primary open angle glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration are part of a more general neurodegenerative disorder. This can give directions to future research on the treatment of the eye disease, which might have to expand its focus from treatment of the eye alone towards treatment of both the eye and brain.