Association between Disorders of Lipid Metabolism and Oculopathy: An Overview

Lipid metabolism disorders, which lead to lipid deposition or changes in blood lipid composition, play a significant role in inducing or exacerbating the pathogenesis of diseases such as hypercholesterolemia and diabetes. Moreover, these disorders are closely associated with the development and progression of ocular diseases, including corneal degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. Studies have shown that lipid metabolism disorders critically impact the structure and function of ocular tissues through mechanisms such as lipid deposition, disrupted cholesterol synthesis, abnormal lipid concentrations, or impaired lipid transport. These disorders can damage cellular structures, induce oxidative stress, disrupt signal transduction, and lead to apoptosis of ocular tissue cells, mitochondrial dysfunction, and osmotic imbalance, ultimately impairing normal physiological functions and contributing to the onset of various eye diseases. This article reviews the association between lipid metabolism disorders and the development of various ocular diseases and explores the mechanisms underlying the interaction between lipid metabolism abnormalities and eye diseases, as well as the preventive role of lipid metabolism regulation in ocular diseases.