Glaucoma is an eye disorder causing irreversible blindness and affects around 60 million people throughout the world. This condition leads to the loss of retinal ganglion cells, located near the surface of the retina. The prime focus of glaucoma research is to put an end to the loss of these cells in the initial stages.

However, a recent study from UCL and Imperial College London suggests that a turmeric derivative named curcumin, could be used in eye drops to treat the early stages of glaucoma.

Professor Francesca Cordeiro, the lead author from the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Western Eye Hospital and Imperial College London said, "Curcumin is an exciting compound that has shown promise at detecting and treating the neurodegeneration implicated in numerous eye and brain conditions from glaucoma to Alzheimer's disease, so being able to administer it easily in eye drops may end up helping millions of people."

Dr. Ben Davis, the co-lead author from UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Imperial College London said, "We are now researching diagnostic uses for these eye drops alongside other ways to visualize the retina, as eye tests can be an opportunity to detect signs of neurodegeneration with a simple, non-invasive test."

Professor Cordeiro added, "As we live longer, diseases such as glaucoma and Alzheimer's are steadily increasing. We believe our findings could make a major contribution to helping the lives of people affected by these devastating diseases."