Commonly used cholesterol drug fenofibrate may help prevent eye disease in diabetes patients, according to a new Oxford study. Researchers found that diabetic patients with retinopathy or maculopathy saw their disease progression reduced by 27 percent when they took fenofibrate for four years. Compared to those who took a placebo, people who used the drug saw the absolute risk of needing further clinical referral reduced by 6.
5 percentage points. While fenofibrate is ordinarily used to lower cholesterol, it can also reduce inflammation and have vascular-protective effects. Both features may improve eye disease in diabetic patients.
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar levels damage small blood vessels in the retina, a layer of light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eyeball. It converts light into electrical signals that the brain interprets as images. If left untreated for years, the disease can cause reduced visual acuity and blindness.
Other symptoms include bleeding, retina detachment, and new eye cancers. In addition to reducing the progression of the eye disease, the authors found that fenofibrate reduced patients’ likelihood of needing retinopathy treatment and their risk of developing macular edema. This condition occurs when fluid builds up in the central part of the retina, causing blurry vision.
Study participants took either 145 milligrams of fenofibrate tablets or a placebo for four years. The research team found that fenofibrate reduced the prog.
