Statins linked to lower glaucoma risk and reduced need for eye surgery

A large-scale analysis of medical records suggests that statins, commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol, may be linked to a reduced risk of developing glaucoma and a slower progression of the disease.

Published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, the study utilized a global database to compare over 420,000 individuals. Researchers found that statin users had a 15% lower risk of being diagnosed with open-angle glaucoma compared to a control group.

For those already diagnosed with glaucoma, statin use was associated with a significantly lower need for various interventions. Specifically, users showed a 36% lower risk of requiring incisional glaucoma surgery, a 55% reduced risk of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), and a 60% lower risk of undergoing selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT).

While the findings are promising regarding the potential nerve-protecting effects of statins, researchers noted that medical record analyses cannot prove causation. Randomized controlled trials are required to confirm whether statins directly protect the optic nerve.