Researchers from the University of Montreal have made a major breakthrough in the treatment of glaucoma. Their work could pave the way for new early-stage therapies for the disease, which is the second leading cause of blindness in the world.

Most Glaucoma research to date has focused on neuroprotection, but this latest research, funded by a grant from the Glaucoma Research Foundation, has looked instead at neuroregeneration – and the results are both unexpected and exciting. In trials on mice, it was observed that administering insulin not only preserved retinal function, but also restored it.

If trials on humans show similar results, the implications could be profound. Apart from anything else, insulin is both widely available and has long history of both safety and efficacy in humans.

Sources:

1.News Medical Net:
Glaucoma Research Foundation-funded research makes a breakthrough in the treatment of glaucoma .

2.Businesswire:
Glaucoma Research Foundation Grant Leads to Major Breakthrough in Neuron Regeneration.