RELATED: If You Notice This With Your Eyes, Get Your Thyroid Checked, Doctors Say. A study out of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, published in the June 2021 issue of the medical journal Opthalmology, found a link between coffee intake and glaucoma risk. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), pressure inside the eye, is a key risk factor for glaucoma, and glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the U.S., according to Mount Sinai. The study found that people with a high genetic predisposition for IOP who drank roughly three cups of coffee a day were 3.9 times more likely to develop glaucoma.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Additionally, a 2012 study on more then 120,000 men and women over the age of 40, who did not have glaucoma, found a similar link. The findings, published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, showed that drinking three or more cups of a coffee per day—compared to abstaining from the beverage—led to an increased risk of a specific type of glaucoma called exfoliation glaucoma. Though “associations were stronger among women with a family history of glaucoma,” the researchers did not find similar links with other caffeinated products, like soda, tea, or chocolate. RELATED: If You Have This Issue With Your Eyes, Your Heart Disease Risk Is High. In a statement that accompanied the study, the researchers noted that their findings suggest people with a strong family history of glaucoma should especially reduce their caffeine intake. “This study suggested that those with the highest genetic risk for glaucoma may benefit from moderating their caffeine intake,” study co-author Anthony Khawaja, MD, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology at University College London’s Institute of Ophthalmology, said in a statement. “It should be noted that the link between caffeine and glaucoma risk was only seen with a large amount of caffeine and in those with the highest genetic risk.” While having high IOP is one of the biggest risk factors for glaucoma, there are other notable contributors as well. According to the Mayo Clinic, people over 60 are more at risk of glaucoma. Additionally, certain medical conditions can be a risk factor for the disease, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and sickle cell anemia. Other eye-related issues, such as being extremely nearsighted or farsighted or having an eye injury or surgery, also add to your risk. Taking corticosteroid medications, especially eyedrops, for an extended period of time bumps up your risk as well. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. Detecting glaucoma early is essential in preventing vision loss or at least slowing its progress, notes the Mayo Clinic. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that you should get your eyes checked every two to four years if you’re 40 to 54 years old. Once you’re 55 to 65, you should get an exam every one to three years, and if you’re over 65, your eyes should be checked every one to two years. However, if you have a family history of glaucoma, you should get more regular exams. According to the Mayo Clinic, you can also reduce your risk of glaucoma by exercising, taking prescribed eye drops, and wearing eye protection when playing sports or working with tools. RELATED: Paul McCartney Reveals the Strange Exercise That’s Kept His Eyes Healthy.
