![\"\"](\"https:\/\/66.198.240.31\/~eyecare\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/aspirin.jpg\" "\\"aspirin\\"")
<\/p>\nSay it ain\u2019t so! Could it be that our miracle cure-all can contribute to age-related vision loss when taking regularly?<\/p>\n
A new study published in the JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that there could be a link between regular aspirin use and an increased risk of developing the more severe “wet” form of age-related macular degeneration; even when smoking and heart disease risks are taken into account. The researchers found that the relationship was “dose-dependent” (the more aspirin a person took on a regular basis, the higher the risk of the vision loss condition).<\/p>\n
Age-related macular degeneration<\/a> (the leading cause of blindness among people over the age of 55), is a condition that occurs when the retina begins to degenerate. It is characterized by loss of sight in the center of the field of vision.\u00a0 There are two main types of macular degeneration: Dry (more common) and wet (which is rarer but more severe<\/a>). Wet age-related macular degeneration occurs when blood vessels leak into the macula (which is located in the middle of the retina), thereby blocking vision.<\/p>\n The study which was conducted by University of Sydney researchers included 2,389 people whose aspirin habits and vision loss<\/a> were tracked over 15 years (via four examinations). Of those people, 257 (or 10.8 percent) regularly took aspirin; however, researchers didn’t provide full information on why<\/em> these people took the aspirin<\/a>.<\/p>\n By the end of the 15 year study period, 24.5 percent of the study participants had developed “wet” age-related macular degeneration. The researchers\u2019 discovered that a greater proportion of regular aspirin users had the disease than the aspirin non-users.<\/p>\n Even in light of the results, the researchers did not feel that the evidence was strong enough to suggest people stop regular aspirin use, though some who may be at an increased risk for age-related macular degeneration might want to talk to their doctors about their risks.<\/p>\n This is not the first study to show a link between regular aspirin use and macular degeneration. A study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that regularly taking aspirin for a decade is linked with an increased risk of developing the eye disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n Another study, published in 2011 in the journal Ophthalmology, showed that people who take aspirin twice a day have a fifty percent greater risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration<\/a>, compared with people who don’t regularly take aspirin. However, even that risk is still relatively low<\/span>.<\/p>\n So what does it all mean?? Who knows! I will continue to take aspirin as needed, but I do think it is something to keep an eye on (pun intended)!<\/p>\n To read original article click here: https:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/01\/22\/aspirin-macular-degeneration-age-related_n_2527221.html<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Say it ain\u2019t so! Could it be that our miracle cure-all can contribute to age-related vision loss when taking regularly? A new study published in the JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that there could be a link between regular aspirin use … Continue reading