Do statins help glaucoma?

Recent research suggests that statins, which are medications used to lower cholesterol in patients with hyperlipidemia, may have some protection against glaucoma [3], but it is still inconsistent on whether or not statins are beneficial in patients with glaucoma [2, 4, 5].

Do statins lower eye pressure?

Statins increase aqueous outflow through the upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase resulting in vasodilation and increased retinal and choroidal blood flow, leading to a reduction in IOP. They also inhibit rho-kinase activity, which may increase aqueous outflow and reduce IOP.

Is glaucoma related to cholesterol?

After analyzing the information, study authors found that for every 20-point increase in total cholesterol there was a 7% increase in glaucoma risk. But the use of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs seemed to reduce risk. People who used statins for five years or longer had a 21% lower risk of developing glaucoma.

Can statins improve eyesight?

Patients taking statins were 49% less likely to develop the more severe wet form of macular degeneration. It is caused by growth of new blood vessels underneath the retina that disrupt vision. Patients taking aspirin were 37% less likely to develop this new blood vessel growth.

Does atorvastatin affect glaucoma?

Conclusions: Long-term statin use was found to be associated with a higher risk of glaucoma onset in this study.

Should You Prescribe Statins for Your Glaucoma Patient?

Do statins worsen glaucoma?

In a cross-control study, Chen et al. [5] reported that hyperlipidemia patients who use statins had the same risk of developing glaucoma as those who did not use statin; they also found (importantly) that a higher statin dosage results in a higher risk of developing glaucoma.

Can statins raise eye pressure?

Leung et al. and Marcus et al.²⁵ reported no significant changes in IOP associated with statin use. Khawaja et al.³¹ reported a significant reduction in IOP among statin users compared to non-statin users when adjusted for age and sex (β −0.31, 95%CI −0.51, −0.12 P = 0.002).

What are the disadvantages of using statins?

Why should you not stop taking statins?

You usually have to continue taking statins for life because if you stop taking them, your cholesterol will return to a high level. If you forget to take your dose, do not take an extra one to make up for it.

What vitamin do statins deplete?

Micronutrient deficiencies with statin therapy may include Coenzyme Q10 and Vitamin D (1). It is important to note that not every person develops micronutrient deficiencies with medications, but it should be acknowledged that it can happen.

What is the real root cause of glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a chronic, progressive eye disease caused by damage to the optic nerve, which leads to visual field loss. One of the major risk factors is eye pressure. An abnormality in the eye's drainage system can cause fluid to build up, leading to excessive pressure that causes damage to the optic nerve.

What causes glaucoma to flare up?

Most cases are caused by a build-up of pressure in the eye when fluid is unable to drain properly. This increase in pressure then damages the nerve that connects the eye to the brain (optic nerve).

What are the signs of high cholesterol in the eyes?

One ocular sign of high cholesterol is a bluish ring that forms near the outside of the cornea, the otherwise clear, front part of the eye. These rings, called “arcus senilis,” appear most commonly with age as more cholesterol gets deposited into the cornea.

Is there a medication to lower eye pressure?

Latanoprost is a medicine that treats high pressure inside the eye. Increased pressure can damage your optic nerve and cause vision loss or blindness. Your doctor may give it to you if you have glaucoma or high pressure in the eye (ocular hypertension).

What medications increase eye pressure?

Corticosteroids, or steroids, can raise eye pressure, especially in those persons who have open-angle glaucoma, first-degree relatives of those with open-angle glaucoma, elderly and young (<6 years) persons, those with type 1 diabetes and those with high myopia (short-sightedness).

Can statins cause eye damage?

The most highly reported ocular adverse events associated with statins were blurred vision (48.4%) and visual impairment (25.7%).

Can you get off statins once you start?

If you're taking a statin medication to lower your cholesterol, you will need to keep taking your prescription, or your cholesterol will likely go back up. Stopping your statin can put you at risk of having heart disease and other preventable health problems like stroke and heart attack from high cholesterol.

Why do statins have to be taken at night?

So, why do people take statins at night? Many statins work more effectively when they are taken at night. This is because the enzyme which makes the cholesterol is more active at night. Also, the half-life, or the amount of time it takes for half the dose to leave your body, of some statins is short.

What can I take instead of statins to lower cholesterol?

When are statins not recommended?

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

The most important thing your doctor will keep in mind when thinking about statin treatment is your long-term risk of a heart attack or stroke. If your risk is very low, you probably won't need a statin, unless your LDL is above 190 mg/dL (4.92 mmol/L).

When should you not use statins?

Statins should be taken with caution if you're at an increased risk of developing a rare side effect called myopathy, which is where the tissues of your muscles become damaged and painful. Severe myopathy (rhabdomyolysis) can lead to kidney damage. Things that can increase this risk include: being over 70 years old.

Why do doctors push statins?

Because many factors are involved, your cholesterol numbers may be considered normal and yet you may still be found to be at an elevated risk for heart problems. As a result, statin medications are now used to lower the risk of heart disease and heart events in most anyone found to be at high risk.

Can Lipitor affect your eyes?

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Treatment with a cholesterol-lowering “statin” drug may very occasionally cause double-vision, eyelid-droop, or weakness of the muscles that control eye movement, investigators report.. Dr. F. W. Fraunfelder and Dr.

Does atorvastatin cause eye problems?

Statin-associated eye problems appear to be rare, but they have been reported as side effects. We discuss a case of statin-induced diplopia in a patient who had been on atorvastatin therapy for years.

Does blood pressure medication affect eye pressure?

Patients who are taking medication for high blood pressure may actually have their blood pressures dropping to very low levels during the hours they are sleeping. This reduces the amount of blood flow to the eye and optic nerve and may compromise the optic nerve.