Drinking coffee is an essential part of many people’s morning routines. Unfortunately, caffeine can aggravate certain conditions, such a glaucoma. If you have the condition, there’s no need to worry, however—you don’t necessarily have to quit cold turkey. You just have to be more mindful of your caffeine intake. The ortho-k experts at Insight Vision Center elaborate further here.
Caffeine can increase eye pressure, which is problematic for patients with glaucoma because it’s the primary factor that causes the disease to develop. Glaucoma develops when fluid builds up in the front part of the eye and increases pressure on the optic nerve. Studies have shown that after an hour of drinking a cup of non-decaf coffee, the intraocular pressure in a person’s eye increased by 1 mmHg. On the bright side, this increase isn’t clinically significant, meaning you can still enjoy a nice, hot cup of coffee without having to worry about anything.
Of course, this doesn’t mean there’s no need to watch your caffeine intake. A study has reported that drinking five or more cups of caffeinated coffee can increase a person’s risk of glaucoma, in addition to the usual side effects of drinking too much of the brew. A 20-year study took a closer look at the effects of caffeine on the risk of developing glaucoma and found caffeine, by itself, is not associated with glaucoma risk. However, there was a reported increase among people with a known family history of glaucoma.
Keep in mind that medical researchers are still studying the link between caffeine and glaucoma, so new evidence that can shed a light on this link may be produced in the future. The only way to know your risk of developing glaucoma—and make the necessary changes to reduce it—is to regularly see one of your local eye doctors
Looking for an eye clinic in your area
Insight Vision Center offers a wide range of professional eye care services, including orthokeratology services. To set up an appointment with one of our optometrists, call us at (714) 486-3315 or leave us a message here. We serve homeowners in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, CA, as well as their surrounding communities
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