The biology of schlemm’s canal

As aqueous humor drains, it is collected by a venous vessel, Schlemm’s canal, which encircles the eye at the corneoscleral junction. Apart from its role in returning aqueous humor to the systemic circulation, Schlemm’s canal participates in the generation of resistance to its drainage that serves to maintain intraocular pressure at a relatively constant level over a lifetime. Such regulation is accomplished by unique anatomical and physiological features of the inner wall and its relationship with the underlying trabecular meshwork cells and extracellular matrix in the juxtacanalicular tissue region of the conventional drainage pathway. Dysfunction of this region results in ocular hypertension, the primary risk factor for a group of diseases known as glaucoma.