Nicotinamide and Pyruvate for Open Angle Glaucoma: A Randomized Clinical Study

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. The most important test to detect progression is visual field testing or standard automated perimetry (SAP). The natural course of glaucoma includes a decline in visual function that matches optic nerve structural changes over time. Both in clinical practice and in clinical trials, individuals undergo visual field testing at regular intervals in order to define whether progressive changes have occurred as well as the rapidity of change. Visual field results are highly variable within and between sessions, partly due to its subjective nature, which ultimately depends upon the test reliability, individuals' level of experience with the test, variability due to disease severity, and, importantly, the level of individual attentiveness during the test. Therefore, numerous attempts have been made to try to optimize individuals' performance during the test. Some of the approaches reported to date are listening to classical music mitigating background noise and use of nutritional supplements. Recent studies have suggested that over-the-counter medications such as nicotinamide (vitamin B3) and pyruvate can also improve the performance during this test. The investigators are doing this research study to find out if taking nutritional supplements (vitamin B3 and pyruvate) available over- the-counter can help slow the rate of glaucomatous visual field progression compared to placebo.