Inhaled Hydrogen Gas and Vision Protection in Rats with Eye Injury
Postconditioning with inhaled hydrogen promotes survival of retinal ganglion cells in a rat model of retinal ischemia/reperfusion injury
Research hubs: Eyes & Vision System · Brain & Nervous System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Ruobing Wang, Jiangchun Wu, Zeli Chen, Fangzhou Xia, Qinglei Sun, Lin Liu
- Journal
- Brain Research
- Year
- 2016
- PMID
- 26705611
- Study Type
- Rat
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 67% H2 mixed with 33% oxygen inhalation for 1 hour daily for one week
- H₂ concentration
- 67% H2 mixed with 33% oxygen
- Duration
- 1 weeks
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 39 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen-rich air can protect the nerves in the eye and improve vision after an eye injury caused by poor blood flow.
Key Finding
Inhaled hydrogen gas significantly increased the survival of retinal nerve cells and improved visual function in rats with retinal ischemia/reperfusion injury, while reducing markers of oxidative stress and inflammation.
Summary
This study tested whether inhaling hydrogen gas could protect nerve cells in the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye) from damage caused by interrupted blood flow and then restored blood flow. Researchers induced this type of injury in rats' eyes, then had the rats inhale a mixture of 67% hydrogen and 33% oxygen for one hour daily for a week. They found that rats receiving hydrogen inhalation had more surviving retinal nerve cells, better vision function, and lower levels of harmful inflammatory molecules compared to untreated rats.
Practical Takeaway
This rat study provides early evidence that hydrogen gas inhalation may protect retinal nerve cells from ischemic injury through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms. However, this is animal research only, and human studies would be needed to determine whether these findings apply to people with eye diseases. The practical feasibility and safety of high-dose hydrogen inhalation in humans remains unknown.
Abstract (excerpt)
Retinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of various ocular diseases. Intraperitoneal injection or ocular instillation with hydrogen (H2)-rich saline was recently shown to be neuroprotective in the retina due to its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory…