Metformin use associated with reduced risk of developing open-angle glaucoma

ByConnor Hodde

Taking the medication metformin hydrochloride was associated with reduced risk of developing the sight-threatening disease open-angle glaucoma in people with diabetes, according to a study published online by JAMA Ophthalmology.

Medications that mimic caloric restriction such as metformin can reduce the risk of some late age-onset disease. It is unknown whether these caloric mimetic drugs affect the risk of age-associated eye diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataract or glaucoma.  Study results indicate that patients prescribed the highest amount of metformin (greater than 1,110 grams in two years) had a 25 percent reduced risk of OAG risk compared with those who took no metformin.

 

Read the entire article here.

Similar Posts

Flexible Adult Stem Cells, Right There in Your Eye

ByConnor Hodde

Researchers reporting in the January issue of Cell Stem Cell, a Cell Press publication, have identified adult stem cells of the central nervous system in a single layer of cells at the back of the eye. That cell layer, known as the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), underlies and supports photoreceptors in the light-sensitive retina. Without…

Allergan Makes an Eye-Opening Acquisition

ByConnor Hodde

Global pharmaceutical company Allergan (NYSE:AGN) may have just revealed its plans for the future.  On Aug. 11, the company announced its plan to acquire ForSight Vision5, a privately held biotech.  Allergan will pay $95 million up front and will also pay a milestone payment next year if ForSight’s innovative glaucoma treatment device makes it through the…

Retinal Remodeling And Metabolic Alterations in Human AMD

ByConnor Hodde

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive retinal degeneration resulting in central visual field loss, ultimately causing debilitating blindness.  While many genetic and environmental risk factors are known for AMD, we currently know less about the mechanisms mediating disease progression.  The goal of this article is to illustrate cell types impacted in AMD and demonstrate…

First Human Test of Optogenetics Could Restore Sight to the Blind

ByConnor Hodde

Before our brains build a visual image of our world, a chain of cells in our eyes must convert light into electrical signals that are processed in the brain. Photoreceptor cells in the retina represent the first link in this chain, and they are reactive to photons, or the fundamental particle of visible light. Retinitis pigmentosa causes these cells to…

Retinal Ischemia Tied to Variant of Acute Macular Neuroretinopathy

ByConnor Hodde

Paracentral acute middle maculopathy is a newly identified variant of acute macular neuroretinopathy that appears to result from retinal capillary ischemia, according to a retrospective observational case series. “This has been traditionally a very rare disease but now with advanced retinal imaging systems such as spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and infrared reflectance imaging…

Detecting diabetic eye disease with machine learning

ByConnor Hodde

Diabetic retinopathy — an eye condition that affects people with diabetes — is the fastest growing cause of blindness, with nearly 415 million diabetic patients at risk worldwide. The disease can be treated if detected early, but if not, it can lead to irreversible blindness.  A few years ago, a Google research team began studying…