INTERESTING EYE NEWS & CLINICAL PEARLS

 A very large study of over 10 million patients found that people with low vitamin D levels were about 30% more likely to have dry eye disease and other tear-related problems. Vitamin D plays an important role in the immune system and eye surface health, which may explain this connection. The researchers suggest that checking for and treating vitamin D deficiency could help manage or possibly prevent dry eye. More studies are needed to see whether vitamin D supplements can improve dry eye symptoms.

A recent study found that people with obstructive sleep apnea are about three times more likely to have dry eye disease than people without sleep apnea. This higher risk remained even after accounting for other common conditions like diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. Researchers reviewed health data from more than 40,000 patients with sleep apnea and compared them to over 120,000 similar patients without it. About 18% of sleep apnea patients had dry eye, compared with only 6% of those without sleep apnea. Because both conditions are long-term and common, the researchers suggest that routine eye exams and dry eye screening should be part of regular care for patients with sleep apnea.

 New research shows that keratoconus may be linked to certain inflammatory skin conditions, including eczema (atopic dermatitis), psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, and hives. People with these conditions were more likely to develop keratoconus than those without them. Rosacea did not show this connection. One possible reason is eye rubbing , which is common in itchy skin conditions and can slowly damage the cornea over time. Another reason may be inflammation in the body , which can weaken collagen—the protein that helps keep the cornea strong and stable. Because of this link, people with chronic inflammatory skin conditions may benefit from earlier and regular eye exams . Controlling inflammation and avoiding eye rubbing may help lower the risk of keratoconus or catch it earlier, when treatment is more effective.

 A large study from China looked at how exercise affects diabetic retinopathy (DR) in people with type 2 diabetes. Researchers followed patients for three years and used computer-based imaging to measure small blood vessels in the retina. They found that people who did moderate to high-intensity exercise had lower chances of developing or worsening DR . Exercise was linked to healthier, wider small blood vessels , especially in the peripheral retina , which may be an early sign of better eye health. Even after considering age, diabetes duration, blood sugar control and blood pressure, exercise still showed a protective effect. The clearest benefits appeared at 5+ sessions per week and at least 180 minutes per week of activity. Moderate-intensity exercise was enough—high intensity didn’t add much more benefit. Overall, the study suggests that encouraging patients with diabetes to do regular moderate/high-intensity exercise may help reduce DR risk by improving small retinal v...

 A study of 180 children (ages 8–12) in China found that taking a daily 8mg lutein ester supplement for six months helped protect the eye’s choroid—the layer behind the retina that often becomes thinner as myopia worsens. Children who took lutein kept their choroidal thickness stable, even showing a tiny increase, while the placebo group showed noticeable thinning. The protective effect was similar to what short-term ortho-K treatment can do. Lutein is a dietary antioxidant that filters blue light and supports retinal health. Researchers believe it may reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the eye and may help improve blood flow in the choroid. The supplement did not change axial length or refractive error during the six months, which may be because the children had mild myopia and because these measures change slowly. The study was limited to one school and didn’t examine lifestyle differences, so more research is needed. Still, the authors conclude that lutein could be...

  Geographic atrophy (GA), the advanced form of dry AMD, causes slow but permanent vision loss. New drugs such as pegcetacoplan and avacincaptad pegol can slow the growth of GA damage, but they do not stop vision from getting worse, and they require frequent eye injections with risks and high cost. Because of this, doctors often struggle to decide when treatment is truly worthwhile. Researchers at Wake Forest University created a prototype decision tool called Atrophy Advisor to help. The tool estimates how long it will take for GA to reach the fovea (the center of vision) by measuring the distance from current lesions to the fovea. It also uses lifespan calculators to estimate how many years of vision a patient might need to preserve. By combining these two factors, it helps doctors judge whether treatment would meaningfully protect vision during a patient’s lifetime. In their study of 50 GA patients (median age 78), lesions moved closer to the fovea at an average rate of 12...