Glaucoma is a serious eye disease that can cause blindness if not treated. While current treatments lower eye pressure, they don’t directly protect the nerve cells in the eye that get damaged. Scientists think a problem with how the body processes certain nutrients might play a role in glaucoma damage. This new study will test whether taking a special mix of B vitamins (B6, B9, B12) and choline for one year can help protect these nerve cells and improve vision in people who already have glaucoma. Researchers will compare people taking these vitamins plus their regular treatment to people getting regular treatment alone.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether taking a combination of B vitamins and a nutrient called choline for 12 months can help protect eye nerve cells and improve vision in people with glaucoma.
  • Who participated: The study will include 80 people with glaucoma (specifically open-angle, normal tension, or pseudoexfoliation glaucoma) who have mild to moderate vision loss. They’ll be recruited from an eye hospital in Stockholm, Sweden between March 2025 and March 2026.
  • Key finding: This is a study protocol, not yet completed research. The study aims to measure whether the vitamin mix improves how well the retina (back of the eye) functions using a special test called electroretinography. If successful, it could show that an affordable vitamin supplement helps protect vision alongside standard glaucoma treatments.
  • What it means for you: If this study shows positive results, it could mean that people with glaucoma might have a simple, affordable vitamin supplement option to help protect their vision. However, this is early-stage research, and results won’t be available for several years. People with glaucoma should continue their current prescribed treatments and discuss any supplements with their eye doctor first.

The Research Details

This is a Phase 2a clinical trial, which is an early stage of testing a new treatment in humans. Eighty people with glaucoma will be randomly divided into two equal groups. One group will take daily supplements containing vitamins B6, B9, B12, and choline along with their regular glaucoma treatment. The other group will continue with their regular treatment only, without the supplements. Neither the patients nor the researchers will be told which group is which (though this is an open-label study, meaning the treatment type is known). The study will last 12 months, and researchers will measure how well the retina is working using specialized eye tests at the beginning and end of the study.

The main way they’ll measure success is through a test called full-field electroretinography, which measures electrical signals from the back of the eye. This test can detect early changes in how the retina is functioning, even before a person notices vision changes. The researchers chose this test because it’s sensitive enough to catch improvements that other standard eye tests might miss.

Researchers will also look at other important measures like visual field (the area a person can see), thickness of nerve fiber layers in the eye, and changes in blood markers that show how the body is processing nutrients. This multi-layered approach helps them understand whether the vitamins are actually protecting the eye nerves.

Current glaucoma treatments mainly work by lowering the pressure inside the eye, but they don’t directly protect the nerve cells that are being damaged. This study is important because it tests a completely different approach—trying to fix a metabolic problem (how the body processes certain nutrients) that scientists believe contributes to nerve damage. If successful, this could be a major breakthrough because it would offer a new way to fight glaucoma alongside existing treatments. The vitamin approach is also appealing because these nutrients are inexpensive, widely available, and generally safe.

This is a well-designed early-stage clinical trial with several strengths: it’s randomized (reducing bias), it has a clear control group for comparison, and it uses objective measurements (electroretinography) rather than just patient reports. The study is being conducted at a respected research hospital affiliated with Karolinska Institutet, a leading medical university. However, as a Phase 2a trial, this is still preliminary research. The sample size of 80 people is relatively small, and the study is open-label, meaning participants and some staff know who’s getting the supplements. The results will need to be confirmed in larger, more rigorous studies before any firm conclusions can be drawn.

What the Results Show

This is a study protocol (a plan for research), not a completed study, so results are not yet available. The study is scheduled to begin recruitment in March 2025 and will take 12 months to complete, with additional time needed for data analysis. Therefore, we won’t know the actual results until 2026 or later.

However, the research is based on promising earlier work. In laboratory studies using rodent models of glaucoma, the researchers found that this vitamin combination reduced the loss of retinal ganglion cells (the nerve cells damaged in glaucoma). This animal research provided the scientific foundation for testing whether the same approach works in humans.

The primary outcome they’ll measure is the photopic negative response, which is a specific electrical signal measured during the electroretinography test. This signal reflects how well the inner retina is functioning and is thought to be particularly sensitive to the type of nerve damage that occurs in glaucoma. By using this specific measurement, the researchers hope to detect improvements in retinal function that might not show up on standard vision tests.

Beyond the main measurement, the study will also track several other important outcomes. These include changes in visual field (the area you can see), the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (which gets thinner as glaucoma progresses), and the thickness of the ganglion cell layer (the layer containing the damaged nerve cells). These measurements will help determine whether the vitamin supplement is actually protecting the eye structures that glaucoma damages.

The researchers will also explore changes in blood tests that measure metabolic markers and DNA methylation patterns. These exploratory measurements could help explain how the vitamins work at a biological level and might identify which patients are most likely to benefit from the treatment.

This study builds on existing research showing that one-carbon metabolism—a biochemical pathway in the body—plays a role in glaucoma damage. Previous studies in animals suggested that problems with this pathway contribute to nerve cell death in glaucoma. This human trial is the next logical step in testing whether fixing this metabolic problem can help real patients. The approach is novel because most current glaucoma research focuses on lowering eye pressure, while this study targets a different biological mechanism. If successful, it would complement rather than replace existing treatments.

As a Phase 2a study, this research has several important limitations. First, it’s relatively small with only 80 participants, which limits how much we can generalize the findings. Second, it’s an open-label study, meaning participants know they’re taking vitamins, which could create a placebo effect (feeling better because you expect to feel better). Third, the study only lasts 12 months, so we won’t know about long-term effects. Fourth, it’s being conducted at a single hospital in Sweden, so results might not apply to all populations. Finally, this is early-stage research, so even if results are positive, larger and more rigorous studies will be needed before these vitamins could be recommended as a standard treatment.

The Bottom Line

At this time, there are no evidence-based recommendations from this study because it hasn’t been completed yet. People with glaucoma should continue taking their prescribed eye pressure-lowering medications as directed by their eye doctor. While the B vitamins being tested are generally safe and available over-the-counter, anyone considering taking them should discuss it with their eye care provider first, as some supplements can interact with medications. Wait for the results of this study (expected in 2026 or later) before making any changes based on this research.

This research is most relevant to people who have been diagnosed with glaucoma, particularly those with open-angle glaucoma, normal tension glaucoma, or pseudoexfoliation glaucoma. It may also interest eye doctors and researchers looking for new ways to protect vision in glaucoma patients. People without glaucoma don’t need to be concerned about this study. If you have glaucoma and are interested in participating in this trial, you can check ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06885827) for enrollment information.

This study won’t produce results for several years. Recruitment runs from March 2025 to March 2026, the treatment phase lasts 12 months, and data analysis will take additional time. Realistic expectations are that preliminary results might be available in 2026 or 2027. Even if results are positive, it would take several more years of larger studies before any new vitamin supplement could be recommended as a standard treatment for glaucoma.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • If you’re participating in this study or taking B vitamins for glaucoma, track your daily supplement intake (yes/no), any side effects or changes you notice, and your scheduled eye appointments. Use the app to set reminders for daily vitamin doses and upcoming vision tests.
  • Users can use the app to establish a consistent daily routine for taking the vitamin supplement at the same time each day (such as with breakfast). Set reminders for scheduled eye exams and vision tests that are part of the study protocol. Log any vision changes or concerns to discuss with your eye doctor.
  • Create a long-term tracking system that records your eye health appointments, any vision changes you notice, and your adherence to the supplement regimen. Use the app to maintain a timeline of your participation in the study and document any side effects or unexpected changes. This information will be valuable for your eye doctor and the research team.

This article describes a research study protocol that has not yet been completed. The findings discussed are based on preliminary animal research and study design, not human results. This information is for educational purposes only and should not be used to make medical decisions. If you have glaucoma or are concerned about your eye health, consult with an eye care professional (ophthalmologist or optometrist). Do not start, stop, or change any glaucoma medications or supplements without discussing it with your doctor first. Some supplements can interact with medications or have side effects. Only participate in clinical trials after discussing the risks and benefits with your healthcare provider.