The Link Between Gastrointestinal Microbiome and Ocular Disorders

Abstract

The gut-eye axis has been hypothesized to be a factor in many eye pathologies. This review examines papers from PubMed about this topic. Bacterial commensals could either be protective by regulating the immune system or prove to be damaging to the gut mucosal wall and incite an inflammatory process. The balance between the two appears to be crucial in maintaining eye health. Imbalances have been implicated in ophthalmologic conditions. The use of probiotics, dietary modifications, antibiotics, and faecal microbiota transplant in mice with pathologies such as those encountered in our practice appears to reverse disease course or at least prevent its progression. Clinical trials are currently underway to investigate their clinical significance in diseased patients.

Keywords:

• ophthalmology
• gastrointestinal microbiome
• gut-eye axis
• inflammation
• faecal microbiota transplant

Ethical Approval

Ethical approval was not required from ethical committees and internal review boards. Informed consent is not applicable.

Disclosure

There are no competing interests for the author to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no external funding.