Effects of inflammation on myopia: evidence and potential mechanisms

Abstract

As the most common type of refractive error, myopia has become one of the leading causes of visual impairment. With the increasing prevalence of myopia, there is a growing need to better understand the factors involved in its development. Inflammation, one of the most fundamental pathophysiological processes in humans, is a rapid response triggered by harmful stimuli and conditions. Although controlled inflammatory responses are necessary, over-activated inflammation is the common soil for many diseases. The impact of inflammation on myopia has received rising attention in recent years. Elevated inflammation may contribute to myopia progression either directly or indirectly by inducing scleral remodeling, and myopia development may also increase ocular inflammation. This article provides a comprehensive review of the interplay between inflammation and myopia and the potential biological mechanisms, which may present new targets for understanding the pathology of myopia and developing myopia therapies.

Effect of exogenous calcitriol on myopia development and axial length in guinea pigs with form deprivation myopia

“…The link between inflammation and the development of myopia has recently received increasing attention, and many studies have shown that inflammation plays an important role in the occurrence and progression of myopia 32 . Anti-inflammatory agents like lactoferrin, diacerein, and resveratrol have been shown to thwart myopia progression by targeting retinal Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase(MAPK) or Nuclear Factor kappa-B(NF-kB) signaling pathways 33 . Therefore, we propose that calcitriol may arrest myopia progression through the suppression of ocular inflammatory markers, a hypothesis that warrants further empirical study.…”