A new study suggests caffeinated coffee drinkers should limit their intake to reduce their chances of developing vision loss or blindness.
According to new research, heavy caffeinated coffee consumption could be associated with an increased risk of exfoliation glaucoma, which can lead to vision loss.
The study is the first to examine the link between caffeinated coffee and the eye condition among the US population.
According to a statement, participants in the study who drank three cups or more of caffeinated coffee daily were at an increased risk of developing exfoliation glaucoma or glaucoma suspect.
However, researchers did not find associations with consumption of other caffeinated products, such as soda, tea, chocolate or decaffeinated coffee.
The results also showed that women with a family history of glaucoma were at an increased risk.
"Because this is the first study to evaluate the association between caffeinated coffee and exfoliation glaucoma in a US population, confirmation of these results in other populations would be needed to lend more credence to the possibility that caffeinated coffee might be a modifiable risk factor for glaucoma," said Kang.
"It may also lead to research into other dietary or lifestyle factors as risk factors.
The research is published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.