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Is Estrogen a Therapeutic Target for Glaucoma?
Samantha S Dewundara1, Janey L Wiggs1, David A Sullivan1,2
1a Department of Ophthalmology , Harvard Medical School , Massachusetts Eye and Ear , Boston , Massachusetts , USA .
Seminars in Ophthalmology
|March 10, 2016
Summary
Lifetime estrogen exposure influences glaucoma risk. Reproductive factors like menarche age and menopause timing are linked to primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), with estrogen potentially offering neuroprotection.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Endocrinology
- Reproductive Health
Background:
- Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
- Estrogen plays a crucial role in various physiological processes.
- The relationship between estrogen and glaucoma warrants further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize current literature on the association between estrogen exposure and glaucoma risk.
- To explore how reproductive factors influence primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) risk.
- To examine the potential neuroprotective effects of estrogen in glaucoma.
Main Methods:
- Literature synthesis of peer-reviewed articles from PubMed.
- Keywords: "estrogen and glaucoma," "reproductive factors and glaucoma," "estrogen, nitric oxide and eye."
- Inclusion of 43 relevant journal articles published up to May 2015.
Main Results:
- Lifetime estrogen exposure markers (menarche age, oral contraceptive use, menopause onset, oophorectomy) are associated with POAG risk.
- Certain estrogenic states, like pregnancy, correlate with reduced intraocular pressure (IOP).
- Genetic factors, including estrogen pathway SNPs and nitric oxide synthase polymorphisms, are linked to glaucoma.
Conclusions:
- Increasing evidence suggests lifetime estrogen exposure modifies glaucoma pathogenesis.
- Estrogen may exert a neuroprotective effect on POAG progression.
- Future research may uncover sex-specific preventive and therapeutic strategies for glaucoma.
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