- Patients who had used statins for two years or longer were 40% less likely to develop glaucoma than those who had used the drugs for less time.
The long-term use of cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins (such as Zocor, Lipitor, and Crestor) appears to reduce the risk of glaucoma among men, particularly those with cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol, according to recent research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology.
Statins have previously been linked to possible decreased risk of age-related macular degeneration, and there are sound scientific reasons why these drugs may also protect against glaucoma.
Researchers evaluated the medical records of 667 men age 50 or older who had recently developed glaucoma, then determined their statin use. For comparison, statin use was also recorded for 6,667 control subjects without glaucoma.
Patients who had used statins for two years or longer were 40% less likely to develop glaucoma than those who had used the drugs for less time. The benefits were most pronounced for men with cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol. A protective effect against glaucoma was also observed for non-statin anti-cholesterol drugs.
The researchers hypothesize that statins might reduce the risk of glaucoma directly, by reducing atherosclerosis in the optic nerve, or indirectly, by improving blood flow in the eye. Statins might also enhance the ability of cells in the trabecular meshwork (a spongy network of connective tissue located just in front of the iris) to drain excess fluid.
