Scientists at the University of California, Irvine have found that repetitive stress can accelerate retinal aging and lead to glaucoma and vision loss. The research was published in the journal senescent cell.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can damage the optic nerve and lead to blindness. It is usually caused by increased intraocular pressure.
The scientists studied the part of the mice’s optic nerve found in their eyes. In the young retina, they found no sign of axon loss, that is, optic nerve damage. However, changes were observed in the optic nerves of elderly or stressed animals, which are characteristic of patients with glaucoma.
As the scientists found, damage to the optic nerve was accompanied by changes in gene activity. According to its future presence, it will be possible to diagnose glaucoma in the early stages. Now this requires monitoring of intraocular pressure for a day or more. In addition, the study’s authors believe it will be possible to prevent vision loss during aging by influencing the activity of genes.