Grabbing a cup of coffee is a morning ritual for 2 out 3 Americans. But does this daily habit pose a problem for our vision?
The number of Americans suffering from major eye conditions has increased and while that's mainly due to our aging population, it's important to consider factors that might play a role in those conditions.
With conflicting information out there about the pros and cons of drinking
coffee, here is what the research says about how coffee and, specifically caffeine, affects our eyes:
Dry eye disease: For dry eye sufferers, one study found that caffeine may actually improve dry eye symptoms by stimulating the gland that produces tears.
Glaucoma: People who have a family history of glaucoma are at three times the risk of developing the disease themselves if they consume a lot of caffeine.
Cataracts: There is research that indicates that people who drink a lot of coffee are much less likely to develop cataracts when compared to those who do not drink as much coffee.
Eyelid twitch: We've all had those annoying twitches in our eyelid. Drinking more than the recommended 400 mg of coffee a day could be the culprit if you suffer from the twitches regularly.
Retinal disease: Coffee has antioxidants and those antioxidants just might help slow the damage to the retina that is caused by aging and other diseases.
So when consuming your daily cup of coffee, be mindful of your individual risk factors as well as your intake. As with most things, moderation is the key.
