The eye is continuously exposed to solar UV radiation and pollutants, making it prone to oxidative attacks. In fact, oxidative damage is a major cause of age‐related ocular diseases including cataract, glaucoma, age‐related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. As the nature of lens cells, trabecular meshwork cells, retinal ganglion cells, retinal pigment epithelial cells, and photoreceptors is postmitotic, autophagy plays a critical role in their cellular homeostasis. In age‐related ocular diseases, this process is impaired, and thus, oxidative damage becomes irreversible. Other conditions such as low‐grade chronic inflammation and angiogenesis also contribute to the development of retinal diseases (glaucoma, age‐related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy). As melatonin is known to have remarkable qualities such as antioxidant/antinitridergic, mitochondrial protector, autophagy modulator, anti‐inflammatory, and anti‐angiogenic, it can represent a powerful tool to counteract all these diseases. The present review analyzes the role and therapeutic potential of melatonin in age‐related ocular diseases, focusing on nitro‐oxidative stress, autophagy, inflammation, and angiogenesis mechanisms.

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褪黑素在与年龄有关的眼病中的作用和治疗潜力

眼睛不断暴露在太阳紫外线辐射和污染物的作用下，容易发生氧化性攻击。实际上，氧化损伤是与年龄有关的眼病的主要原因，包括白内障，青光眼，与年龄有关的黄斑变性和糖尿病性视网膜病。由于晶状体细胞，小梁网状细胞，视网膜神经节细胞，视网膜色素上皮细胞和感光细胞的本质是有丝分裂的，自噬在其细胞稳态中起着关键作用。在与年龄有关的眼部疾病中，该过程受到损害，因此氧化损伤变得不可逆。低度慢性炎症和血管生成等其他病症也有助于视网膜疾病的发展（青光眼，年龄相关性黄斑变性和糖尿病性视网膜病）。众所周知，褪黑激素具有非凡的品质，例如抗氧化剂/抗灭蚁药，线粒体保护剂，自噬调节剂，抗炎药和抗血管生成药，它可以作为抵抗所有这些疾病的有力工具。本综述分析了褪黑激素在与年龄有关的眼病中的作用和治疗潜力，重点是硝基氧化应激，自噬，炎症和血管生成机制。