Eye on the Enigmatic Link: Dysbiotic Oral Pathogens in Ocular Diseases; The Flip Side

Abstract

Mouth and associated structures were regarded as separate entities from the rest of the body. However, there is a paradigm shift in this conception and oral health is now considered as a fundamental part of overall well-being. In recent years, the subject of oral-foci of infection has attained a resurgence in terms of systemic morbidities while limited observations denote the implication of chronic oral inflammation in the pathogenesis of eye diseases. Hitherto, there is a paucity for mechanistic insights underlying the reported link between periodontal disease (PD) and ocular comorbidities. In light of prevailing scientific evidence, this review article will focus on the understudied theme, that is, the impact of oral dysbiosis in the induction and/or progression of inflammatory eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, scleritis, uveitis, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Furthermore, the plausible mechanisms by which periodontal microbiota may trigger immune dysfunction in the Oro-optic-network and promote the development of PD-associated AMD have been discussed.

Keywords:

• Age-related macular degeneration
• angiogenesis
• chronic inflammation
• drusen
• immune response
• inflammation
• oral microbiome
• pathogens
• periodontitis
• retinal degeneration

Acknowledgements

The author thanks Dr. Radhika Swaminathan BDS (Department of Periodontics, Dental College of Georgia, AU) for critical reviewing and editing of the manuscript.

Ethical declarations

The author declare no competing interests.

Contributions

P.A contributed to researching contents of the article, writing, review and editing of the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

Supported by the DCG Startup Fund and AU Intra-Mural Grant (to P.A).