Alzheimer's disease and glaucoma- a literature review

Evidence of a link between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and glaucoma has emerged from studies showing that patients with AD may have a significantly increased occurrence rate of glaucoma. In addition, it has been reported that patients with AD exhibit optic nerve degeneration and loss of Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGCs). The AD-related changes in the retina are also associated with reduction of the retinal nerve fibres and visual impairment. Memantine, a neuroprotective drug, is approved for the treatment of AD as it preferentially blocks excessive NMDA receptor activity without disrupting normal activity. In 2009, one clinical trial conducted to test the efficacy of memantine as a neuroprotectant for glaucoma was unsuccessful. However, the idea of neuroprotection in glaucoma should not be abandoned.