retinal disease

27 papers

Research evidence summary

Q: Does molecular hydrogen help with retinal disease?

A: Of 27 peer-reviewed papers, 16 reported a positive effect (the most common), 3 limited/mixed, 1 negative, 6 not assessed. Study mix: 4 human (2 RCT), 17 animal/basic, 4 meta-analysis or synthesis. The most studied delivery route is mixed routes. The above aggregates published research and does not constitute a clinically established conclusion. See the individual paper pages for details and Safety notes for inhalation safety. (last updated 2026-05-15)

Evidence breakdown
Human	4	of which RCT	2
Animal/basic	17	Synthesis/meta	4
Reported effect	positive 16 ・ limited/mixed 3 ・ negative 1 ・ not assessed 6

Read the safety notes →

Delivery-method distribution

mixed routes: 5 injection / infusion: 5 topical application: 4 inhalation: 4 hydrogen-rich water: 4 not specified: 2 in vitro: 2 animal model: 1

Effects of Inhalation of Hydrogen Gas on Allergic Conjunctivitis Model Mice.
2026 ・ J Ocul Pharmacol Ther ・ PMID 42101321

inhalation positive animal study
The effect of Hydrogen-rich water on retinal degeneration in the outer nuclear layer of simulated weightlessness rats.
2025 ・ Life Sci Space Res (Amst) ・ PMID 40280637

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Oral Intake of Hydrogen Water Improves Retinal Blood Flow Dysregulation in Response to Flicker Stimulation and Systemic Hyperoxia in Diabetic Mice.
2024 ・ Transl Vis Sci Technol ・ PMID 39446362

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Bio-spectroscopic investigation linking changes of retinal structure with short-term administration of Amiodarone and revealing the ameliorative effect of vitamin E supplementation.
2024 ・ Sci Rep ・ PMID 39237619

animal model positive animal study
Molecular hydrogen promotes retinal vascular regeneration and attenuates neovascularization and neuroglial dysfunction in oxygen-induced retinopathy mice.
2024 ・ Biol Res ・ PMID 38915069

inhalation positive animal study
Effect of molecular hydrogen, a novelly-established antioxidant, on the retinal degeneration of hereditary retinitis pigmentosa: anstudy.
2023 ・ Front Pharmacol ・ PMID 38638334

mixed routes null animal study
Novel Role of Molecular Hydrogen: The End of Ophthalmic Diseases?
2023 ・ Pharmaceuticals (Basel) ・ PMID 38004433

mixed routes not assessed review
The clinical research on the effect of hydrogen-rich water on primary retinitis pigmentosa.
2023 ・ Heliyon ・ PMID 37860576

hydrogen-rich water mixed human observational study
EFFECT OF ACUTE HYDROGEN-RICH WATER INTAKE ON INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE IN HEALTHY SUBJECTS.
2023 ・ Cesk Slov Oftalmol ・ PMID 37567773

hydrogen-rich water adverse human randomized controlled trial
Molecular Hydrogen Attenuated N-methyl-N-Nitrosourea Induced Corneal Endothelial Injury by Upregulating Anti-Apoptotic Pathway.
2021 ・ Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci ・ PMID 34196654

mixed routes positive animal study
Retraction Note: Therapeutic effect of molecular hydrogen in corneal UVB-induced oxidative stress and corneal photodamage.
2021 ・ Sci Rep ・ PMID 33893385

not specified not assessed other
Randomized, crossover clinical efficacy trial in humans and mice on tear secretion promotion and lacrimal gland protection by molecular hydrogen.
2021 ・ Sci Rep ・ PMID 33742060

mixed routes positive human randomized controlled trial
The Long-Term Effect of Medically Enhancing Melanin Intrinsic Bioenergetics Capacity in Prematurity.
2020 ・ Curr Genomics ・ PMID 33214768

not specified not assessed review
The Efficacy of Melanin Precursor QIAPI 1© Against Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD): A Case Report.
2020 ・ Cent Nerv Syst Agents Med Chem ・ PMID 33167844

topical application mixed human case report
An Immunohistochemical Study of the Increase in Antioxidant Capacity of Corneal Epithelial Cells by Molecular Hydrogen, Leading to the Suppression of Alkali-Induced Oxidative Stress.
2020 ・ Oxid Med Cell Longev ・ PMID 32655773

topical application positive animal study
The preventive and therapeutic effects of molecular hydrogen in ocular diseases and injuries where oxidative stress is involved.
2019 ・ Free Radic Res ・ PMID 30773939

mixed routes not assessed review
[Research progress of hydrogen-rich saline for eye diseases].
2018 ・ Zhonghua Yan Ke Za Zhi ・ PMID 30107657

injection / infusion not assessed review
Effects of Post-Treatment Hydrogen Gas Inhalation on Uveitis Induced by Endotoxin in Rats.
2018 ・ Med Sci Monit ・ PMID 29875353

inhalation mixed animal study
Therapeutic effect of molecular hydrogen in corneal UVB-induced oxidative stress and corneal photodamage.
2017 ・ Sci Rep ・ PMID 29269749

topical application positive animal study
Hydrogen-Rich Saline as an Innovative Therapy for Cataract: A Hypothesis.
2016 ・ Med Sci Monit ・ PMID 27606690

injection / infusion not assessed other
Postconditioning with inhaled hydrogen promotes survival of retinal ganglion cells in a rat model of retinal ischemia/reperfusion injury.
2016 ・ Brain Res ・ PMID 26705611

inhalation positive animal study
Sirtuin Type 1 Mediates the Retinal Protective Effect of Hydrogen-Rich Saline Against Light-Induced Damage in Rats.
2015 ・ Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci ・ PMID 26720481

injection / infusion positive animal study
Protective effect of molecular hydrogen against oxidative stress caused by peroxynitrite derived from nitric oxide in rat retina.
2015 ・ Clin Exp Ophthalmol ・ PMID 25801048

in vitro positive in vitro study
Hydrogen-rich saline promotes survival of retinal ganglion cells in a rat model of optic nerve crush.
2014 ・ PLoS One ・ PMID 24915536

injection / infusion positive animal study
Molecular hydrogen regulates the expression of miR-9, miR-21 and miR-199 in LPS-activated retinal microglia cells.
2013 ・ Int J Ophthalmol ・ PMID 23826519

in vitro positive in vitro study