[Paying attention to challenges in clinical research on optic neuroprotection in primary open-angle glaucoma]

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a common type of glaucoma in clinical practice and an important irreversible blinding eye disease. Basic and clinical research related to optic nerve protection has been conducted in related fields for many years, but there is still a lack of methods that can truly exert optic nerve protection in POAG clinical practice. This article analyzes and summarizes the challenges and difficulties encountered in clinical research on optic nerve protection in POAG from four perspectives: disease and pathophysiology, research design and ethics, drugs and their mechanisms of action, and translational medicine. In addition, this article actively explores possible coping strategies and future development directions for the aforementioned issues, aiming to provide guidance and reference for clinical research on optic neuroprotection in POAG.