A new study from Cedars-Sinai has shed light on why so many people with diabetes develop problems with the cornea, the clear, dome-shaped surface at the front of the eye.
The cornea plays an essential role in vision by protecting the eye and helping to focus light. Unfortunately, about half of all people with diabetes experience corneal deterioration, which can slow down healing, increase the risk of infections, and eventually lead to vision loss.
The new research helps explain what goes wrong at the cellular level and points to a possible way to protect the eyes of people living with diabetes.
Diabetes affects the body in many different ways, and one of the most damaging effects comes from high blood sugar levels over long periods of time. These high sugar levels can create something called oxidative stress, which happens when harmful molecules called free radicals build up and overwhelm the body’s natural defenses.
Oxidative stress is known to damage tissues throughout the body, including the eyes. For years, scientists have seen that the corneas of diabetic patients heal more slowly and are more vulnerable to injury, but the exact cause was not fully understood.
In this new study, investigators compared corneal cells taken from people with diabetes to those from people without the disease. They wanted to understand what changes occur in diabetic corneal cells and why these cells struggle to stay healthy.
Their experiments revealed that a tiny molecule called microRNA-10b plays a major role in the process. MicroRNAs are small molecules that help control how genes are turned on or off. Even though they are tiny, they can have a big impact on how cells function.
The researchers found that microRNA-10b was much more active in the corneal cells of people with diabetes. This increased activity caused the cells to lose some of their natural defenses.
In particular, the boosted microRNA-10b levels made the corneal cells more vulnerable to oxidative stress, leading to damage and making it harder for the outer layer of the cornea to renew itself. When this outer layer becomes weak or damaged, the cornea cannot heal properly, making vision problems much more likely.
The most encouraging finding from the study is that when scientists blocked or “inhibited” microRNA-10b, the corneal cells began to recover their natural protective abilities. The cells became stronger, better able to fight oxidative stress, and more capable of maintaining a healthy outer layer.
This discovery suggests that targeting microRNA-10b could be a promising strategy for future treatments. Such treatments might help protect the corneas of diabetic patients, improve healing, and prevent vision loss.
Dr. Mehrnoosh Ghiam, the senior author of the study and a research scientist at Cedars-Sinai, explained that blocking microRNA-10b allowed the cornea’s natural defenses to return. As a result, the cornea could begin repairing itself more effectively.
This is an important step toward developing therapies that could one day help millions of people living with diabetes who are at risk of vision problems.
After reviewing the study, it is clear that the findings provide valuable insights into how diabetes damages the eye. The research identifies a concrete molecular target—microRNA-10b—that plays a central role in weakening the cornea.
This is a meaningful discovery because it opens the door to therapies that directly address the underlying cause rather than simply treating symptoms.
While more studies will be needed to test treatments in animals and eventually in humans, the results are promising. They show that diabetic corneal disease may one day be prevented or reversed by restoring the cornea’s built-in defenses.
For now, this research adds an important piece to the puzzle of diabetes-related eye health and offers hope for better treatments that could help preserve vision and improve quality of life for many patients.
If you care about eye health, please read studies about how vitamin B may help fight vision loss, and MIND diet may reduce risk of vision loss disease.
For more information about eye disease, please see recent studies about how to protect your eyes from glaucoma, and results showing this eye surgery may reduce dementia risk.
The study is published in Diabetologia.
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