New research has shown that stress and tension lead to the death of retinal ganglion cells at a rate similar to natural aging. The experiments were conducted by researchers at the University of California and published on "Science Daily." The study indicates that repeated stress causing elevated eye pressure and resulting in glaucoma is linked to changes in retinal tissue that make it age faster.
Skoronska-Krauzik, an assistant professor of ophthalmology and the research supervisor, stated, "The epigenetic changes we observed suggest that alterations at the chromatin level are acquired in a cumulative manner following several instances of stress. This offers us a chance to prevent vision loss due to glaucoma when the disease is recognized early."
She added, "We continue to work to understand the mechanism of the accumulated changes in aging in order to identify potential therapeutic targets. We are testing various methods to prevent the accelerated aging process caused by stress." The researchers now have a new tool to assess the impact of stress and treatment on the aging state of retinal tissues, making these new discoveries possible. It is expected that the number of glaucoma patients worldwide will rise to 110 million by 2040.
