Clinical Ophthalmology (Apr 2021)
Antioxidants for the Treatment of Retinal Disease: Summary of Recent Evidence
Abstract
Patrick Wang,1 Eric K Chin,2 David Almeida3 1School of Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada; 2Retina Consultants of Southern California, Redlands, CA, USA; 3Erie Retinal Surgery, Erie, PA, USACorrespondence: David AlmeidaErie Retinal Surgery, 300 State Street, Suite 201, Erie, PA, 16507, USATel +1 814 456-4241Fax +1 814 453-3354Email [email protected]: Retinal tissue is prone to oxidant burden and oxidative stress secondary to the generation of reactive oxygen species from high metabolic demand. The formation of reactive oxygen species occurs primarily from the mitochondrial respiratory chain as well as several enzymatic and oxidation reactions that occur in the neurosensory retina and retinal pigment epithelium. This oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several retinal diseases and the role of antioxidants as a therapeutic treatment shows promise in slowing the progression of certain diseases. The aim of this narrative review is to describe the mechanisms of retinal oxidative stress and summarize the current available evidence for antioxidants as a treatment for vitreoretinal disorders.Keywords: antioxidant, reactive oxygen species, retina
