Inflammatory Diets May Contribute to Glaucoma, Research Says

Diets alone cannot prevent glaucoma; however, anti-inflammatory dietary choices, such as avoiding excessive salt and refined carbohydrate intake, are positive steps towards reducing risk. Photo: Erik McLean/Unsplash. Click image to enlarge. A population-based study published in International Journal of Ophthalmology found that a proinflammatory diet was associated with a higher likelihood of glaucoma among US adults.Researchers analyzed three years of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They included a total of 5,659 participants aged 40 to 85. Among this pool, 6.7% reported a diagnosis of glaucoma. The study population included diverse racial and ethnic groups, including Mexican American (14.7%), Black (21%), Caucasian (54.4%) and others (9.9%). Glaucoma patients tended to be older, with a median age of 60, were more often female and had higher rates of diabetes and smoking.The authors assessed diet using the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), which quantifies the inflammatory potential of an individual’s diet based on nutrient intake collected through questionnaires. The DII incorporates macronutrients, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds such as caffeine and alcohol. Higher DII scores indicated a more proinflammatory diet.Patients were divided into thirds based on their DII scores, and the authors stated within the study that participants within the top third by DII “demonstrated a 35% elevated risk probability for glaucoma compared to those in the lowest” group. Subgroup analysis also showed stronger associations in certain populations. Men had a 48% higher risk, patients with diabetes had a 56% higher risk and those with obesity had a 66% higher risk when comparing highest to lowest DII groups.The authors suggested that inflammation may contribute to the eventual development of glaucoma through “a complex interplay of vascular, genetic and inflammatory mechanisms” and cited neuroinflammatory processes and the role of systemic inflammation in elevating IOP and accelerating RGCs loss. “Simultaneously,” they added, “diet-microbiome interactions drive gut dysbiosis, intestinal inflammation and barrier dysfunction, which are increasingly recognized as significant contributors to glaucoma progression.”However, the study also came with limitations, including that “the diagnosis of glaucoma was self-reported and was not clinically confirmed for all participants,” according to the paper, and that the researchers could not account for more specific individual factors, such as socioeconomic status and healthcare access.Click here for the journal source. Hui-Min S, Yong T. Dietary inflammatory potential and glaucoma susceptibility: a nationally representative study from NHANES. Int J Ophthalmol. May 18, 2026. [Epub ahead of print]. This article was developed by the editorial staff in conjunction with experts in the field. In the process, AI may have been among the editorial tools used to meet the goals of human editors, who approved all content.