Mapping ophthalmic research on glycosylation and glycation: a PRISMA-compliant bibliometric and co‑citation analysis.

Background: Enzymatic glycosylation and non-enzymatic glycation contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of major ocular diseases, particularly diabetic retinopathy (DR), age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, and cataract. However, the knowledge structure and developmental trajectory of glycosylation-related research in ophthalmology remain unclear.

Methods: The literature on the role of enzymatic glycosylation and non-enzymatic glycation modification in ophthalmic diseases from 1997 to 2024 was searched in the core database of Web of Science. Bibliometrics analysis software VOS viewer (version 1.6.20), Citespace (version 6.1.R1), Scimago Graphica (version 6.1.R1), Microsoft Excel 2021.

Results: This study analyzed 3,221 publications, all results are available on January 4, 2025. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology was the primary subject area. Research has evolved from early exploration of advanced glycation end products and protein kinase C pathways toward inflammation, biomarker discovery, and risk prediction in specific ocular disorders. Increasing attention has also been directed toward glycosylation-based diagnostic markers and potential therapeutic targets.

Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis provides an ophthalmology-centered overview of glycosylation and glycation research, identifying DR as the primary research hub while highlighting emerging translational directions in retinal and other ocular diseases.