The study of the aqueous humor (AH) plays a key role in understanding the pathophysiology of glaucoma. The AH provides nutrition, maintains the appropriate intraocular pressure, and provides important information about the mechanisms of the disease. The development of modern technologies has allowed the use of more accurate analytical methods, which has proven to be a key factor in determining the changes occurring in the proteome of the aqueous humor of glaucoma patients. Recently, researchers have observed changes in the levels of proteins associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, the complement system, and extracellular matrix remodeling. They have also shown that these changes may be variable for different types of glaucoma. The objective of this review is to collect and summarize the current knowledge on the potential biomarkers and pathomechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. We hope that our review will contribute to the improvement of current diagnostic methods in this illness and, through a better understanding of the changes occurring during the progression of the disease, will enable the development of more effective preventive and therapeutic strategies in the future.

There is growing interest in the use of natural plant-derived compounds, such as polyphenols (including curcumin), flavonoids, silymarin, anthocyanins, lutein, and zeaxanthin, for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). These substances exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and protective effects on retinal cells, contributing to the preservation of retinal integrity by modulating the key pathogenic mechanisms of AMD, including oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and pathological neovascularization. Consequently, they hold potential to support conventional therapeutic approaches and slow disease progression. Current studies highlight their promising role as adjunctive agents in AMD management. This literature review provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential role of the aforementioned natural plant-derived compounds in the prevention and supportive treatment of age-related macular degeneration. It also discusses their natural sources, modes of administration and supplementation, and highlights the importance of a nutrient-rich diet as a key factor in maintaining ocular health. Furthermore, the review synthesizes current scientific knowledge on the ability of natural antioxidants to slow the progression of AMD and outlines future research directions aimed at improving diagnostic methods and developing more effective preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Studies employing animal models play a pivotal role in advancing our understanding of the pathophysiology of retinal diseases. These models enable the investigation of molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying retinal structural damage, as well as the assessment of genetic and environmental factors contributing to disease development. The application of appropriate experimental models provides essential insights into the progression of degenerative processes and tissue responses to therapeutic interventions. The advancement of modern molecular biology and genetic engineering techniques has facilitated the development of increasingly precise animal models, which have proven crucial for identifying pathological alterations occurring in the course of retinal diseases. In recent years, research has demonstrated that, depending on the model employed, the observed changes may involve inflammatory processes, oxidative stress, photoreceptor dysfunction, extracellular matrix remodeling, and aberrant glial cell responses. It has also been shown that the nature and dynamics of these alterations vary according to the specific disease entity and the animal species used. The aim of this review is to compile and systematize current knowledge regarding the most commonly used animal models in retinal disease research and to discuss their utility in analyzing potential pathogenetic mechanisms and therapeutic targets. The review also highlights emerging complementary research strategies associated with New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), including retinal progenitor and iPSC-derived cell-based approaches, advanced retinal imaging techniques, and alternative experimental platforms such as the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay, which may support translational retinal research and reduce reliance on traditional animal models. The authors hope that this work will contribute to the refinement of preclinical research methodologies and, through an improved understanding of the processes underlying the development of retinal diseases, facilitate the advancement of more effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the future.

This manuscript presents a focused narrative review with systematic literature identification of comparative evidence on faricimab versus aflibercept in adults with diabetic macular edema. The review prioritized randomized phase III evidence and selected only clinically decisive extension, post hoc, and real-world studies published from 2022 through 2025. The predefined PICO was: adults with DME; intervention faricimab; comparator aflibercept; outcomes best-corrected visual acuity, central subfield thickness, injection burden and durability, and safety. The core evidence base consisted of the YOSEMITE and RHINE randomized trials and their 2-year follow-up, supplemented by FDA regulatory documents and a small number of directly relevant post hoc and real-world studies. At year 1, faricimab achieved noninferior visual gains versus aflibercept in both trials, with numerically greater reductions in central subfield thickness. At year 2, visual acuity remained comparable, whereas anatomic outcomes and durability continued to favor faricimab, especially in the treat-and-extend arm, in which more than 60% of patients were on every-16-week dosing and approximately 80% were on every-12-week-or-longer dosing by week 96. Safety was broadly similar across randomized arms, although postmarketing retinal vasculitis warnings require continued pharmacovigilance. Direct real-world head-to-head evidence remained sparse; available switch studies suggest benefit primarily in selected aflibercept-refractory eyes. Overall, the present evidence supports faricimab as a clinically relevant alternative to aflibercept in DME when durability and anatomic control are prioritized, but not as a superior agent for letter gain alone.

Perioperative hemorrhage remains an important clinical concern in gynecologic surgery, including hysterectomy, myomectomy, cesarean delivery, and oncologic procedures, as excessive blood loss may contribute to postoperative anemia, transfusion requirements, reoperation, prolonged hospitalization, and increased perioperative morbidity. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is a synthetic antifibrinolytic agent that reversibly binds to plasminogen and inhibits its conversion to plasmin, thereby reducing fibrin degradation and stabilizing formed clots. This review evaluates current evidence regarding the pharmacological properties, dosing strategies, efficacy, and safety profile of TXA in gynecologic surgical practice. Available randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses indicate that prophylactic administration of TXA, most commonly as a 1 g intravenous dose before surgical incision, significantly reduces intraoperative and postoperative blood loss across several gynecologic procedures. In benign hysterectomy, a large randomized controlled trial involving 332 patients demonstrated that intravenous TXA significantly decreased mean blood loss compared with placebo and reduced the incidence of bleeding exceeding 500 mL, as well as the need for reoperation due to postoperative hemorrhage. Evidence from myomectomy studies similarly suggests a clinically relevant reduction in perioperative blood loss, with meta-analytic data showing an average decrease of approximately 213 mL. In cesarean delivery, pooled data from randomized trials have shown that prophylactic TXA reduces total blood loss, transfusion rates, hemoglobin decline, and the need for additional uterotonic agents in both low- and high-risk patients. Comparable benefits have also been reported in selected gynecologic oncology procedures and after cervical conization. Importantly, across available studies, standard perioperative doses of TXA have not been associated with a significant increase in thromboembolic complications, although careful patient selection remains necessary, particularly in individuals with active thromboembolic disease or severe renal impairment. Overall, current evidence supports TXA as an effective, safe, and cost-efficient adjunct for reducing perioperative bleeding and transfusion requirements in gynecologic surgery. Future research should focus on defining optimal dosing and timing protocols for specific surgical subgroups, including extensive oncologic debulking procedures and complex endometriosis surgery, as well as evaluating long-term safety outcomes.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), originally developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity, are increasingly being investigated for their potential relevance to psychiatric disorders. Accumulating preclinical and clinical evidence indicates that GLP-1 signaling extends beyond metabolic regulation and may influence central mechanisms implicated in mood regulation, motivational processing, compulsive reward-seeking, and interoceptive control. This review synthesizes current mechanistic, preclinical, clinical, and registry-based evidence concerning the possible role of GLP-1 RAs in psychiatry, with particular emphasis on major depressive disorder, substance use disorders, and eating disorders. The biological rationale for their psychiatric relevance is supported by evidence of GLP-1-mediated signaling through circumventricular organs, vagal–brainstem pathways, and selected central nervous system regions, including hypothalamic, hippocampal, and mesolimbic reward-related circuits. Proposed mechanisms include modulation of reward salience, attenuation of neuroinflammatory signaling, improvement of metabolic-inflammatory burden, and enhancement of neuroplastic processes. The clinical evidence remains heterogeneous and indication-specific. In depression, the most consistent findings relate to cognitive and motivational domains, particularly in patients with major depressive disorder and coexisting overweight or obesity, whereas broader evidence from metabolic trials suggests modest reductions in depressive symptoms without establishing disorder-specific antidepressant efficacy. In substance use disorders, alcohol use disorder currently represents the most advanced area of investigation, with semaglutide demonstrating favorable outcomes in a phase 2 trial, while exenatide showed no overall reduction in heavy drinking but reduced alcohol cue reactivity and suggested potential benefit in obese participants. Evidence for nicotine use disorder is mixed, and data concerning opioid and stimulant use disorders remain preliminary. In eating disorders, binge-eating phenotypes appear to be the most plausible therapeutic target, whereas evidence for bulimia nervosa is limited and anorexia-spectrum disorders raise important safety concerns due to appetite suppression and weight loss. Overall, the safety profile of GLP-1 RAs in psychiatric populations appears broadly consistent with their established metabolic use, with gastrointestinal adverse effects predominating; however, psychiatric monitoring remains advisable because observational safety data are not fully concordant. Current evidence supports further diagnosis-specific randomized controlled trials but does not yet justify routine psychiatric prescribing outside carefully selected clinical contexts or research settings.