Researchers supported by our BRC have found a promising new way to predict which glaucoma patients are most at risk of losing their vision, even when their eye pressure is under control. A new study demonstrated the benefit of additional biomarkers beyond eye pressure to predict disease progression, focusing on the activity of mitochondria, the ‘batteries’ that provide energy for cells.
Glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness, is expected to affect around 80 million people by 2030. The main risk factors are eye pressure and older age with most current licensed treatments lowering eye intraocular pressure (IOP). Researchers found that tests for mitochondrial function and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) levels in white blood cells allowed the prediction of which patients are at higher risk of ongoing vision loss despite IOP treatment. If introduced clinical tests would enable prioritisation for more intensive monitoring and treatment for patients the most in need.
This research offers hope for better managing glaucoma and preventing blindness by targeting not just eye pressure but also underlying cellular health. If further research shows that low mitochondrial function or low NAD levels are a cause for glaucoma, then this opens the way for new treatment development. The MRC and NIHR are funding a clinical trial, led by Moorfields Eye Hospital, to assess whether Vitamin B3 supplementation slows the progress of glaucoma.
Authors:
Bledi Petriti, Alessandro Rabiolo, Kai-Yin Chau, Pete A. Williams, Giovanni Montesano, Gerassimos Lascaratos, David F. Garway-Heath