Exploring the relationship between intestinal flora and the pathological mechanism of myopia in adolescents from the perspective of Chinese and Western medicine: A review

Abstract

The etiology of adolescent myopia involves genetic and environmental factors. The pathological mechanism of modern medicine includes blood perfusion, changes in blood molecules, neurotransmitters, and sclera remodeling. Chinese medicine believes that myopia is mainly related to the deficiency of liver blood and spleen and stomach disorders. The prevention and treatment of myopia in adolescents are very important, but in terms of the current incidence of myopia in adolescents and the level of clinical diagnosis and treatment, its prevention and treatment are insufficient. Modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine both pay attention to integrity, so adolescent myopia should not only pay attention to eye changes but also pay attention to other body systems and other aspects of change. Intestinal flora has become a research hotspot in recent years, and it has been found that it is closely associated with multi-system and multi-type diseases. No studies have directly investigated the link between Intestinal flora and myopia in adolescents. Therefore, by summarizing the pathological mechanism of adolescent myopia and the connection between intestinal flora and the pathological mechanism of adolescent myopia, this paper analyzes the possible pathological mechanism of the influence of intestinal flora on adolescent myopia, providing a theoretical basis for future studies on the correlation between changes of intestinal flora and its metabolites and the incidence of adolescent myopia, which is of great significance for the study on the risk prediction of adolescent myopia.

Unveiling the gut microbiota and metabolite profiles in guinea pigs with form deprivation myopia through 16S rRNA gene sequencing and untargeted metabolomics

“…Despite its prevalence, studies investigating the role of gut microbes in myopia remain scarce. Xi et al [ 45 ] conducted a review on the association between myopia and gut microbiota. At the time, research reports on gut microbiota and myopia were virtually non-existent.…”

Gut Microbiota Profiles in Myopes and Nonmyopes

“… 25 Myopia, however, has been little researched in this context, despite the known retinal structural consequences, 26 as well as the known importance of retinal image quality and function on normal ocular development. 27 , 28 Nonetheless, speculation may be growing in this area; recently, a review paper was published examining the Chinese and Western medicinal perspectives on the relationship between the gut microbiota and the pathological mechanisms of myopia in adolescents, 29 and one paper has characterised the ocular microbiome between low and high myopia, finding a higher relative abundance of Proteobacteria at the phylum level and Acinetobacter at the genus level in patients with high myopia. 30 In addition, studies on the gut microbiome of myopic individuals are limited.…”

“…A review by Xi et al 29 proposes a possible mechanism linking myopia to the gut microbiome that involves changes in dopamine production. Certain gut bacteria, such as enterococci, may possess homologues of enzyme genes similar to those found in mammals for the production of dopamine 29 , 32 , 33 via the existing phenylalanine–tyrosine–dopa–dopamine pathway.…”

“…A review by Xi et al 29 proposes a possible mechanism linking myopia to the gut microbiome that involves changes in dopamine production. Certain gut bacteria, such as enterococci, may possess homologues of enzyme genes similar to those found in mammals for the production of dopamine 29 , 32 , 33 via the existing phenylalanine–tyrosine–dopa–dopamine pathway. 29 , 34 Several case reports have reported that oral antibiotics have caused a transient effect of myopia, 35 – 37 and once the medication was stopped or changed to other medications, the effect had reversed.…”

“…Certain gut bacteria, such as enterococci, may possess homologues of enzyme genes similar to those found in mammals for the production of dopamine 29 , 32 , 33 via the existing phenylalanine–tyrosine–dopa–dopamine pathway. 29 , 34 Several case reports have reported that oral antibiotics have caused a transient effect of myopia, 35 – 37 and once the medication was stopped or changed to other medications, the effect had reversed. It could be speculated that antibiotics might have an effect on the dopamine-producing bacteria, because dopamine can be synthesised in the gut by these bacteria and released into the bloodstream and travels to the brain and other parts of the body to perform its functions.…”