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Review
. 2019 Dec 20;9(1):7.
doi: 10.3390/antiox9010007.

Vitreous Antioxidants, Degeneration, and Vitreo-Retinopathy: Exploring the Links

Emmanuel Ankamah  1   2 , J Sebag  3 , Eugene Ng  1   2 , John M Nolan  1
Affiliations
Review

Vitreous Antioxidants, Degeneration, and Vitreo-Retinopathy: Exploring the Links

Emmanuel Ankamah et al. Antioxidants (Basel). .

Abstract

The transparent vitreous body, which occupies about 80% of the eye's volume, is laden with numerous enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants that could protect the eye from oxidative stress and disease. Aging is associated with degeneration of vitreous structure as well as a reduction in its antioxidant capacity. A growing body of evidence suggests these age-related changes may be the precursor of numerous oxidative stress-induced vitreo-retinopathies, including vision degrading myodesopsia, the clinically significant entoptic phenomena that can result from advanced vitreous degeneration. Adequate intravitreal antioxidant levels may be protective against vitreous degeneration, possibly preventing and even improving vision degrading myodesopsia as well as mitigating various other vitreo-retinopathies. The present article is, therefore, a review of the different antioxidant molecules within vitreous and the inter-relationships between vitreous antioxidant capacity and degeneration.

Keywords: antioxidants; floaters; oxidative stress; vision degrading myodesopsia; vitreous; vitreous degeneration.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest in connection with this article. J.S. is a paid consultant to ebiga-VISION GmbH. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Cross-sectional diagram of the human eye showing the vitreous body and the interaction between its two principal components, collagen and hyaluronan. Courtesy of Emmanuel Ankamah.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Diagram showing the antioxidants within the human vitreous. Courtesy of Emmanuel Ankamah.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Classification of vitreous antioxidants. Courtesy of Emmanuel Ankamah.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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