The cause of<unk>  glaucoma is generally unknown.<unk>  is generally believed to be a systemic disorder, possibly of the basement membrane of the eye. Researchers have noticed deposits of<unk>  material in various parts of the body, including in the skin, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and elsewhere. Nevertheless, what is puzzling is that<unk>  tends to happen in only one eye first, which scientists call unilaterality, and in some cases, gradually afflicts the other eye, which is termed bilaterality. According to this reasoning, if<unk>  were a systemic disorder, then both eyes should be affected at the same time, but they are not. There are contrasting reports about the extent and speed with which<unk>  moves from one eye to both eyes. According to one report,<unk>  develops in the second eye in 40% of cases. A contrasting report was that<unk>  can be found in both eyes in almost all situations if an electron microscope is used to examine the second eye, or if a biopsy of the conjunctiva was done, but that the extent of<unk>  is the second eye was much less than the first one. A different report suggested that two thirds of<unk>  patients had flakes in only one eye. In one long term study, patients with<unk>  in only one eye were studied, and it was found that over time, 13% progressed to having both eyes afflicted by<unk> . Scientists believe that elevated levels of plasma homocysteine are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and two studies have found higher levels of plasma homocysteine in<unk>  patients, or elevated homocysteine concentrations in tear fluids produced by the eye. There is speculation that<unk>  may be caused by oxidative damage and the presence of free radicals, although the exact nature of how this might happen is still under study. Studies of<unk>  patients have found a decrease in the concentrations of ascorbic acid, increase in concentrations of malondialdehyde, and an increase in concentrations of 8-iso-prostaglandinF2a. There is speculation that genetics may play a role in<unk> . A predisposition to develop<unk>  later in life may be an inherited characteristic, according to one account. One report suggested the genetic component was "strong". One study performed in Iceland and Sweden has associated<unk>  with polymorphisms in gene LOXL1. A report suggested that a specific gene named LOXL1 which was a member of the family of enzymes which play a role in the linking of collagen and elastin inside cells. LOXL1 was responsible for "all the heritability" of<unk> , according to one source. Two distinct mutations in which a single nucleotide was changed, or called a single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP, was discovered in Scandinavian populations and confirmed in other populations, and may be involved with the onset of<unk> . Researchers are investigating whether factors such as exposure to ultraviolet light, living in northern latitudes, or altitude influence the onset of<unk> . One report suggested that climate was not a factor related to<unk> . Another report suggested a possible link to sunlight as well as a possible autoimmune response, or possibly a virus.
Pseudoexfoliation syndrome
Trench nephritis
Shunt nephritis
Focal proliferative nephritis
Lupus nephritis
Malarial nephropathy
HIV-associated nephropathy
Diffuse proliferative nephritis