Abstract:Piezo1, a mechanosensitive nonselective cation channel characterized by multiple transmembrane domains, plays a critical role intransducing mechanical stimuli at the cellular membrane and participates in various physiological and pathological processes. Recent studies have established a significant association between Piezo1 and the occurrence and development of multiple ophthalmic disorders. Substantial evidence demonstrates that Piezo1 contributes to ocular disease progression by regulating fundamental cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and inflammatory responses, with particular relevance to glaucoma, corneal diseases, retinal disorders, and dry eye syndrome. Piezo1 has made rapid progress in ophthalmology, and has been established as an important mechanosensor in the eye, widely involved in intraocular pressure regulation, retinal function maintenance, corneal homeostasis and repair, and ocular development, and its dysfunction is closely related to the pathological mechanisms of many important blinding eye diseases. Consequently, Piezo1 is not only a key molecule for understanding ocular mechanobiology, but also represents a highly promising therapeutic target. Its study offers new perspectives for the development of novel therapeutic strategies against ocular diseases. This review systematically summarizes current research advances regarding Piezo1 channels in ophthalmology, analyzes their mechanistic involvement in disease processes, and evaluates their potential therapeutic value, thereby offering innovative perspectives for the clinical management of ocular diseases.
