Neuroprotection to Counteract Glaucomatous Degeneration of Retina; The Use of Citicoline

Abstract

Glaucoma is a chronic degenerative disease affecting the optic nerve that causes a loss of retinal ganglion cells and their axons. Glaucomatous neuropathy constitutes a worldwide health problem. Every ophthalmologist working at a hospital or at an outpatient clinic sees patients with glaucoma, and thus information about the pathomechanisms responsible for its development, about its treatment and about new therapeutic options constitutes valuable knowledge for all ophthalmology practitioners. It is widely known that the better the mechanisms of disease development are known, the easier it is to effectively inhibit disease progression. Therefore, researchers are continuing their studies on pathophysiology and effective treatment, which have been moving from the macroscopic to the microscopic level as new methods become available. And thus, over years of conducted studies, the neuroprotective effect of citicoline was noted. Known to neurologists, this substance is now entering the pharmacological world of ophthalmologists. This article discusses the role and possibilities of neuroprotective treatment of glaucoma, emphasising the scientifically proven effects of citicoline, which seems to be a new trend supporting the drug treatment used to date.