Violet light suppresses lens-induced myopia via neuropsin (OPN5) in mice
Xiaoyan Jiang, Machelle T. Pardue, Kiwako Mori, S. Ikeda, Hidemasa Torii, Shane P. D’Souza, Richard A. Lang, Toshihide Kurihara, Kazuo Tsubota
Abstract
Significance The increasing prevalence of myopia is a significant public health concern. Unfortunately, the mechanisms driving myopia remain elusive, limiting effective treatment options. This report identifies a refractive development pathway that requires Opn5 -expressing retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Stimulation of Opn5 RGCs with short-wavelength violet light prevented experimental myopia in mice. Furthermore, this effect was dependent on the time of day, with evening exposure being sufficient to protect against experimental myopia. Thus, these studies suggest Opn5 RGCs may contribute to the mechanisms of emmetropization and identify the OPN5 pathway as a potential target for the treatment of myopia.