Nutritional supplementation in the prevention and treatment of glaucoma

Sarah Chaudhry; Hamish Dunn; Nicole Carnt; Andrew White

doi:10.1016/j.survophthal.2021.12.001

Nutritional supplementation in the prevention and treatment of glaucoma

Surv Ophthalmol. 2022 Jul-Aug;67(4):1081-1098. doi: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2021.12.001. Epub 2021 Dec 8.

Authors

Sarah Chaudhry¹, Hamish Dunn², Nicole Carnt³, Andrew White⁴

Affiliations

¹ Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: sarah.ghaffar90@gmail.com.
² Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Westmead and Central Clinical Schools, Discipline of Clinical Ophthalmology and Eye Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Save Sight Institute, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
³ Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Westmead Institute of Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁴ Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Westmead and Central Clinical Schools, Discipline of Clinical Ophthalmology and Eye Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Westmead Institute of Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Save Sight Institute, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

PMID: 34896192
DOI: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2021.12.001

Abstract

Glaucoma is a chronic optic neuropathy that creates a significant burden on public health. Oxidative stress is hypothesized to play a role to glaucoma progression, and its reduction is being analyzed as a therapeutic target. Dietary antioxidants play a crucial role in helping provide insight into this hypothesis. We reviewed 71 trials, interventional, in-vivo and Iin vitro, including 11 randomized controlled trials, to determine if adjunctive nutritional supplementation could lead to a reduction in oxidative stress and prevent glaucomatous progression. Many laboratory findings show that vitamins and natural compounds contain an abundance of intrinsic antioxidative, neuroprotective and vasoprotective properties that show promise in the treatment and prevention of glaucoma. Although there is encouraging early evidence, most clinical findings are inconclusive. The group of B vitamins appear to have the greatest amount of evidence. Other compounds such as flavonoids, carotenoids, curcumin, saffron, CoQ10, gingko biloba, and resveratrol however warrant further investigation in glaucoma patients. Studies of these antioxidants and other nutrients could create adjunctive or alternative preventative and treatment modalities for glaucoma to those currently available.

Keywords: Glaucoma; Nutrients; Open Angle Glaucoma; Oxidative Stress; Reactive Oxygen Species; Retinal Ganglion Cells; Supplements; Trabecular Meshwork; Vitamins.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Antioxidants* / therapeutic use
Dietary Supplements
Glaucoma* / drug therapy
Glaucoma* / prevention & control
Humans
Oxidative Stress
Vitamins / therapeutic use

Substances

Antioxidants
Vitamins