INTERESTING EYE NEWS & CLINICAL PEARLS

  A large study looked at more than 1.1 million cannabis users and compared them with an equal number of people who did not use cannabis. The researchers found that people who use cannabis had a noticeably higher risk of developing uveitis—an inflammatory condition inside the eye that can threaten vision. Overall, cannabis users were about 80% more likely to get uveitis. Some specific and more serious types showed even higher risks, including panuveitis , choroidal degeneration , and retinal vasculitis . The study suggests several reasons why cannabis might trigger inflammation in the eye. Cannabis affects the body’s endocannabinoid system, which normally helps regulate inflammation. THC and CBD may disrupt this balance. Also, smoking cannabis produces chemicals that cause oxidative stress and irritation in tissues, possibly damaging blood vessels in the eye and weakening the blood-retinal barrier. Because of these findings, the authors recommend that eye doctors ask about cann...

 A national TriNetX database study published in Ophthalmology Retina found that patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists had a significantly lower risk of developing both dry and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) compared to those using other glucose- or lipid-lowering drugs. However, these medications did not influence the rate of conversion from non-neovascular (dry) to neovascular (wet) AMD among patients who already had the condition. Using data from nearly 120 million patients, researchers applied rigorous propensity matching to control for factors like chronic disease and metabolic severity. Over one to three years, GLP-1 drug use was linked to roughly 20–25% lower hazard ratios for developing dry AMD and a consistent reduction in risk for wet AMD across all time points. The authors suggested that the apparent protective effect may result from both biological and healthcare access factors—patients on GLP-1 drugs might have more regular medical care and earlier AMD...

 A large study found that diabetic patients who undergo YAG laser capsulotomy after cataract surgery face higher risks of serious eye problems compared to those who don’t. The procedure, used to clear cloudy vision after cataract surgery, was linked to an increased chance of developing proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), vitreous hemorrhage, tractional retinal detachment, and neovascular glaucoma. These patients were also more likely to need panretinal photocoagulation (PRP), though not more likely to require vitrectomy surgery. Researchers reviewed records from over 10,000 patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy across 69 U.S. healthcare centers. They found YAG-treated patients had about 1.4–2 times higher risk for the complications mentioned. The findings suggest diabetic patients should be monitored closely after YAG, and future studies should examine how disease stage, age, and laser settings affect outcomes.