Can Coffee Drinking Lead To Blindness?
New study shows risk factors of drinking more than 3 cups per day
A Harvard study showed that exfoliation glaucoma can develop from drinking more than three cups of coffee per day. This type of glaucoma, which is caused by pieces of the lens exfoliating into the eye, is progressive and can damage the optic nerve due to fluid buildup. There is also apparently a genetic component to the condition, and for some reason Scandinavians are more likely to develop the condition, though as a group excessive coffee drinkers are 30% more likely to get exfoliation glaucoma. A family history of glacuoma, use of steroid medications (which can include anti-inflammatory meds), ethnicity, and a history of eye injury may also be players in the development of this condition down the road. Furthermore, you are more likely to get the condition if you are over 60 years old, but if it is a progressive condition it may just be more obvious or pronounced at that age. Like most forms of glaucoma, the exfoliation type is most harmful when left undiagnosed and untreated, so getting regular eye exams is one way to ensure your visual health.
Notes and Special Information
Special note: Like any study that tells you that the stuff you like to do is dangerous, you should remain a bit skeptical in case the study is debunked tomorrow, or it is found that some other factor (like nondairy creamer) is actually to blame.