Glucose found to improve visual parameters in POAG

Researchers reported that topical glucose temporarily improved psychophysical visual parameters in some individuals with primary open-angle glaucoma.

The Journal of Ophthalmology published the results of the double-blind, randomized, crossover study involving nondiabetic pseudophakic patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Study 1 involved 29 eyes of 16 patients, while a follow-up study (study 2) involved 14 eyes of seven patients.

The abstract stated that randomly allocated eyes received 50% glucose or saline eye drops every 5 minutes for 60 minutes. The main outcomes measures were contrast sensitivity and best-corrected logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution.

Researchers found that the 50% glucose reached the vitreous in pseudophakic but not phakic individuals, according to the abstract. Glucose significantly improved the mean contrast sensitivity at 12 cycles/degree compared with 0.9% saline by 0.26 log units and 0.40 log units in the follow-up study. The intraocular pressure, refraction and central thickness were not affected by glucose.

Casson and colleagues concluded in the abstract that this temporary improvement in visual parameters suggests that neuronal energy substrate delivery to vitreous reservoir may recover function of “sick” retinal neurons.

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Source:

Casson, et al. Ophthalmology;doi: 10.1016/J.ophtha.2013.12.011.