A study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that reserpine, an old blood pressure medication, might help protect vision in people with inherited eye diseases like retinitis pigmentosa (RP). These conditions slowly damage the eye’s light-detecting cells (photoreceptors), and can lead to blindness.
In rat studies, reserpine preserved photoreceptor cells, especially in females, though the reason for this difference isn’t clear. Importantly, reserpine seemed to work no matter what genetic mutation caused the disease. That makes it an exciting option because it could help many different people, not just those with one specific gene change.
Reserpine is no longer widely used to treat high blood pressure because of its side effects. Scientists plan to test tiny doses placed directly into the eye, which could avoid those problems. They are also working on stronger, improved versions of the drug. The idea is that reserpine could slow vision loss, giving patients more time until newer treatments, like gene therapies, are ready.
What this means for the Usher syndrome community: For people with Usher syndrome, this research offers new hope. Because reserpine works across many genetic causes, it might help no matter which Usher mutation a person has. Using an existing drug could also speed up the process of getting treatments to patients, instead of waiting many years for brand-new therapies to be developed.
