University of British Columbia
Researchers from the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto have discovered a previously unknown waste drainage system in the eye called the POLO pathway. This finding could revolutionize the treatment of conditions like glaucoma and macular degeneration.
Why it matters
Identifying a new biological mechanism for waste clearance in the eye offers a promising new target for medical therapeutics to prevent blindness.
Many of the world's leading causes of irreversible blindness, including glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, share a common problem: the buildup of fluid, waste and inflammatory debris in the back of the eye.
However, for decades, scientists have lacked a clear understanding of how the eye clears this waste away.
New research from the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto has identified what appears to be a missing piece of the puzzle: a previously unknown waste drainage system at the back of the eye. The hidden circulatory pathway, called the posterior ocular lymphatic outflow, or POLO pathway, provides a route for fluid and waste to exit the eye and enter the body's lymphatic system.
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