Professor Ted Garway-Heath on pioneering glaucoma research

Researchers have examined the importance of mitochondrial function as a susceptibility factor in glaucoma.

Professor David ‘Ted’ Garway-Heath, of UCL’s Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital, shared that the Nature Medicine study found a strong relationship between mitochondrial respiratory function and the rate of visual field loss among patients receiving glaucoma treatment.

“The strength of the association was similar to that of intraocular pressure,” Garway-Heath shared.

The research team measured levels of a molecule that is related to mitochondrial function, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD).

“We found that both the NAD levels and the mitochondrial respiratory function was lower in patients with glaucoma compared to age-similar people without glaucoma,” Garway-Heath said.

“Also, those who developed glaucoma at a normal intraocular pressure had lower mitochondrial respiratory function than glaucoma patients with elevated intraocular pressure,” he shared.

NAD is made through the consumption of vitamin B3 in the diet. Garway-Heath is leading a clinical trial to explore whether giving glaucoma patients daily vitamin B3 supplements in combination with IOP lowering treatment can reduce visual field loss compared to those who receive a placebo.

Patients diagnosed in the last 12 months with early to moderate open-angle glaucoma can check with their ophthalmologist if their eye unit is participating in the trial.