Adults with dry eye who were prescribed probiotics had a significantly lower risk of developing primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) over 5 years, according to a study.
The analysis included individuals aged 40 years and older with dry eye and no prior history of glaucoma. After propensity score matching, 15,613 pairs of patients with and without probiotic prescriptions were compared.
Probiotic use was associated with a 56% lower risk of POAG.
The association remained consistent in sensitivity analyses and across subgroups defined by age, sex, race, diabetes status, and obesity.
The researchers said prospective studies are needed to determine whether the relationship is causal and to clarify potential mechanisms.
Reference
Tsai CY, Weng CH, Sheen YJ, et al. Association between probiotic prescriptions and the incidence of primary open-angle glaucoma in patients with documented dry eye. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2026;doi: 10.1007/s00417-026-07373-3. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42397591.
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