The control group was composed of age-matched healthy volunteers who had neither glaucoma nor other ocular diseases such as cataract, diabetic retinopathy or age related macular degeneration. The control group did not show any glaucomatous optic disc cupping on fundoscopic examination or visual field defects with program 24-2 of the Humphrey Field Analyzer. The healthy volunteers in the control group must be able to provide intravenous blood sampling.