INTERESTING EYE NEWS & CLINICAL PEARLS

This   study  in the American Journal of Ophthalmology concludes: In this African ancestry cohort, low BMI was associated with increased POAG risk. POAG cases with low BMI were more likely to have larger cup-to-disc ratios, worse visual acuity, and faster functional progression, indicating more severe glaucoma.

 This report on a study demonstrates that there is a slight increase (3% ) in non arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy in patients receiving semiglutide injections.  The increase is slightly higher in males than females. 

 This is a report on a study that suggests that increased vitamin D levels, such as that associated with increased sun exposure, may be correlated with increased risk for macular degeneration.  

The researchers found that among patients aged 50 and up, supplement use was associated with lower rates of developing or AMD or progressing AMD when compared with age- and sex-matched patients with no history of supplement use. Tumeric is mentioned in the title of this report. 

 From Review of Optometry : Researchers in Taiwan designed a nationwide large study to investigate the association between Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and different classes of topical glaucoma medications. They determined that using topical alpha-2 adrenergic agonists should be undertaken judiciously, especially in middle-aged and older populations. Their findings also indicated glaucoma may increase the risk of AD regardless of glaucoma subtype. “Our observations indicating that alpha-2 adrenergic agonists potentially confer an increased risk of developing AD when compared to beta-blockers  Irrespective of the type of glaucoma, individuals with glaucoma had a significantly higher risk of AD compared with those without glaucoma. “Eyecare practitioners and neurologists need to be aware of the potentially higher risk of AD development associated with alpha-2 adrenergic agonists compared with beta-blockers among glaucoma patients,” they concluded in their paper for the journal.