Electrical neurostimulation in glaucoma with progressive vision loss.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neuroscience
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Glaucoma with progressive vision loss requires treatments beyond intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction.
• Electrical optic nerve stimulation (ONS) is explored as a novel therapeutic strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term clinical efficacy of electrical ONS in glaucoma patients with progressive vision loss.
• To provide real-world evidence for the effectiveness of ONS.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 70 glaucoma patients undergoing electrical ONS.
• Stimulation involved bipolar rectangular pulses delivered to closed eyes.
• Visual function assessed via static threshold perimetry at baseline and approximately one year post-ONS.

Main Results:

• Mean defect (MD) significantly decreased from 14.0 dB to 13.4 dB (p < 0.01) in 101 eyes.
• Over 63% of eyes (64 eyes) showed stable or improved MD post-ONS.
• 37 eyes experienced an increase in MD from 14.9 dB to 15.6 dB.

Conclusions:

• Electrical ONS demonstrates long-term efficacy in halting glaucoma progression in a significant portion of patients.
• ONS represents a promising alternative treatment for preserving visual function in advanced glaucoma.
• Further research can build upon these findings to refine ONS protocols.