Language

English

Publication Date

5-1-2025

Journal

Progress in Retinal and Eye Research

DOI

10.1016/j.preteyeres.2025.101340

PMID

39971096

PMCID

PMC12103276

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

5-1-2026

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Author MSS

Abstract

Astronauts can develop a distinct collection of neuro-ophthalmic findings during long duration spaceflight, collectively known as Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS). These clinical characteristics include optic disc edema, hyperopic refractive shifts, globe flattening, and chorioretinal folds, which may pose a health risk for future space exploration. Obtaining knowledge of SANS and countermeasures for its prevention is crucial for upcoming crewed space missions and warrants a multidisciplinary approach. This review examines the potential causes and countermeasures of SANS, including space anticipation glasses, lower body negative pressure, venoconstrictive thigh cuffs, impedance threshold devices, translaminar pressure gradient modulation, centrifugation, artificial gravity, pharmaceuticals, and precision nutritional supplementation. This paper highlights future research directions for understanding the genetic, anthropometric, behavioral, and environmental susceptibilities to SANS as well as how to use terrestrial analogs for testing future mitigation strategies.

Keywords

Humans, Space Flight, Syndrome, Astronauts, Weightlessness, Eye Diseases, Papilledema, Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome, SANS, Lower Body Negative Pressure, LBNP, Venous Thigh Cuffs, Goggles, Genetics, One-Carbon Metabolism

Published Open-Access

yes

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